Patients at the Royal Hospital for Children were given a red carpet experience on Wednesday (December 7) for a special screening of Matilda the Musical.
Staff from the Hospital, Glasgow Hospital Children’s Charity and MediCinema teamed up to give patients and their families a night to remember as they took in the famous Roald Dahl character’s latest on-screen adventure.
As well as the VIP screening, children also received a special Matilda goodie bag, complete with a book and limited edition poster. Staff also kicked off the evening with fun arts and craft activities, which included creating a one of a kind Matilda-themed banner.
Enjoying the Hollywood experience was Matilda “Tilly” Fraser, who was there to see her on-screen namesake with her mum Mandy.
Mandy said: “We had to take Matilda to see Matilda! Ever since she has been little, Tilly has always loved the story, she has the book, loves the first film and when the musical was on in Edinburgh we had a mummy and daughter day out to go and see it. To be able to get to see the musical here was brilliant for her.
“It’s been a tough few weeks for Tilly, but things have been getting better in the last few days. Getting to go and see Matilda the Musical topped off the good news.”
Born three months premature, Tilly spent the first seven months of her life in the neonatal ICU and has been in and out of hospital over the years with respiratory issues. She has been in the RHC for the last 30 days, with her 12th birthday also falling during this time. But her family were still able to make it as special a day as possible, with staff on hand to help get the ward ready for her celebrations.
Mandy added: “All of the staff have been amazing during our time here, they cannot do enough for Tilly and our family. They give us so much support, they are brilliant with Tilly they do whatever they can to make her feel better, happier and have her laughing. They do everything they can to facilitate any chance for a child to get a treat while they are in hospital.”
Also attending was Caragh Hamilton. Mum Marie said: “It was really enjoyable, we had a great evening and would like to thanks all of the staff for doing this. Caragh especially enjoyed the interactive arts and crafts and chatting with the staff while doing that, it was really great.”
Max Reid and mum Nicola also enjoyed their time at the MediCinema. Nicola said: “It was a great night and Max really enjoyed it. Max can often miss out on things like getting to go to the cinema, so it was great for both of us to be able to go along to this. As Max’s full-time carer it was also great for me, I really enjoyed it. It’s such an important thing, with Max now 18 it’s great to know he will still be able to go to the adult care screenings at the MediCinema too.”
Melanie Hutton, General Manager at the Royal Hospital for Children, said: “Our dedicated staff at the Royal Hospital for Children work tirelessly to provide the highest standard of care and look for ways to bring joy to patients and their families, especially at this time of year. With Christmas approaching, our staff and the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity work hard to bring festive magic to our wards.
“We’re so pleased to hear that so many of our patients and their families enjoyed this special screening of Matilda the Musical at the MediCinema. I would like to thank all of our staff for their incredible levels of dedication to making this time of year special for everyone at the RHC.”
The MediCinema in Glasgow is the only one of its kind in Scotland. Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity has provided funding for the service since its introduction in 2009, enabling thousands of seriously ill children to enjoy a visit to the cinema while in hospital.
Kirsten Watson, CEO, Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity said: “A festive trip to the cinema is a tradition enjoyed by so many children and families at this time of year. We want to make sure that our young patients can enjoy the magic of the movies too, which is why we are so proud to fund the MediCinema at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow. It’s all the more exciting because this is the first Christmas since 2019 that we’ve been able to have larger screenings, so the children can share the fun together with their friends from other wards.
“There are hundreds of seriously ill children who will spend this Christmas in hospital, and our play programme, special events and family support projects will ensure that these children and their families are supported through these difficult times.”
Paul Giggal, MediCinema charity COO said: We all know the real power of movies and how sharing the escapism and immersion with others can have a profound impact on people in hospital experiencing a tough time. To see the smiles on the faces of the families on the red carpet and enjoying the magic of Matilda was incredibly special. We encourage everyone in the country to get involved too by booking tickets for the Singalong previews on 17 December and take part in all the fun, while knowing they’re gifting that same experience to QEUH hospital patients when they need it the most.”
Special charity previews of the Sing-Along version of Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical in aid of MediCinema will take place on Saturday 17 December at more than 200 cinemas across the country. You can find your closest cinema and book tickets online now, or visit https://www.sonypictures.co.uk/movies/roald-dahls-matilda-musical-sing-along/
ENDS
