Southampton Children’s Hospital

11/12/2025

Dr Matthew Harmer is leading research to develop a new test that can quickly assess kidney function in children with chronic kidney disease – a lifelong condition that currently takes years to monitor effectively.

He’s also exploring ways to prevent kidney damage, helping children keep their kidneys healthy for longer.

Find out more 👇

Improving care for children with kidney disease

Dr Matthew Harmer, Consultant in Paediatric Nephrology at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, is investigating new ways to help children with long-term kidney problems.

His research is being supported by the UHS Research Leaders Programme.

Chronic kidney disease is a lifelong condition that gradually gets worse over time. There’s no cure, but treatments can help to slow its progression.

However, it can take years to find out if these treatments are helping. Matthew’s research aims to change this, by supporting the development of a new test to assess kidney function.

He’s also researching ways to prevent kidney damage in children, to keep their kidneys working well for longer.

Read more: https://www.soar-southampton.org/rlp-cohort-5/matthew-harmer

04/12/2025

01/12/2025

Aliza Rae's determination, courage and the incredible support of her “dream team” remind us what’s possible when we never give up.

We wish her all the very best as she continues her recovery journey 💙

🎄 Day 1 of 🎄

Today we start our 12 Days of UHS, spreading some festive cheer by reflecting on just some of the ways we’ve made a difference to our patients and community in 2025.

Earlier this year we shared the inspiring story of 13-year-old Aliza Rae, who was treated at Southampton Children’s Hospital after a freak horse-riding accident left her with a serious spinal injury.

Despite being told she might never walk again, Aliza Rae amazed everyone by taking her first steps just eight weeks after surgery—and later walked out of hospital unaided.

“I remember being told I might never walk again, but I had this amazing team, my ‘dream team’, and they never gave up on me,” said Aliza Rae.

“They became like friends, not just doctors and physios. They helped me believe in myself.”

We wish Aliza Rae all the best as she continues her recovery 💙

Check back later this week to discover another way our UHS teams are making a difference this festive season.

21/11/2025

We're wishing Seren all the best with her proton beam therapy at UCLH - University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust following surgery to remove a brain tumour at Southampton Children's Hospital 💙

18/11/2025

A Jersey family have thanked our paediatric surgery team after their newborn baby Arwel had life-saving surgery at Southampton Children’s Hospital 💙

Born in July, Arwel suddenly stopped breathing while his mum was breastfeeding. Our team found he had oesophageal atresia and tracheo-oesophageal fistula (OA/TOF) – two rare conditions affecting his food pipe and windpipe. These conditions can cause air to pass into the stomach and stomach acid into the lungs. Arwel will need lifelong medical treatment.

Now mum Jade and dad Chris want more people to be aware of OA/TOF. Nigel Hall, consultant paediatric surgeon and Professor of Paediatric Surgery at University of Southampton has praised them for speaking about their experience.

"There's a huge gap in terms of knowledge about some of these really quite rare congenital anomalies,” he said. “It would be great to have these challenges and these conditions more widely recognised.”

“It's a great privilege to be able to look after them and really gratifying to hear that what we do does make such a huge difference."

🔗Read the full story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c891nkzxlj3o

🔗 Details of a parent and family support group for those born unable to swallow: https://tofs.org.uk/

📷 Jade Knight

14/11/2025

Last week we had a very special visitor when Pudsey Bear dropped in 💛

Pudsey visited all seven of our wards, spreading joy with hugs 🤗, high-fives 🙌 and tasty treats 🧁 for our excited patients.

Lucia Lazzeri-Ford, child health matron, Southampton Children's Hospital, said: “We were delighted to welcome Pudsey Bear to our children’s hospital last week – a visit that brought so much joy to our young patients, their families, and staff.”

A huge thank you to Templeton Place Care Home in Nursling for making the visit possible 🙏

🔗 Find out more: https://www.uhs.nhs.uk/whats-new/press-releases/surprise-pudsey-bear-visit-brings-smiles-to-southampton-childrens-hospital

07/11/2025

This Youth Work Week we congratulate our amazing senior youth worker Kerry Franklin, who was recently recognised as Paediatric Allied Health Professional of the Year at the Wessex Paediatric Awards for Training Achievements (PAFTAs) 🏆

Kerry supports young major trauma patients aged 11–25, helping them access lifestyle support, explore education or career opportunities and get involved in community activities.

She was also nominated as Special Person in Paediatrics for supporting young major trauma patients after a traumatic event in the local community event during the summer.

“It’s very rewarding to see patients thrive or make changes to improve their situation after such a traumatic event, or life changing injury,” says Kerry.

“Without the support from UHS to pilot our projects, the success of youth work in hospitals and the improved outcomes for young people would not be as valued as it is today, not just here at UHS, but to all the hospitals and youth workers in this profession nationally.

"I am proud that UHS and the PEEER Youth Service is leading the way in this innovative model of youth work in hospitals.”

Well done Kerry — your work is truly inspiring 👏


Southampton Children's Hospital PEEER Youth Project

06/11/2025

It’s National Pathology Week and Harvey's Lab Tours are sparking curiosity and inspiring the next generation of pathologists and biomedical scientists 🔬

These hands-on tours help our young patients feel more at ease by connecting them with the incredible biomedical science staff who process and analyse their samples to diagnose and manage illnesses.

Patients get to tour our real labs, meet biomedical scientists and take part in fun, interactive experiments.

Recently five-year-old Arthur and six-year-old Kareem had a tour, exploring:
🧪 Biochemistry – learning how analysers detect changes in colour to identify substances in the blood.
🩸 Haematology – using modelling clay, they explored the shapes and structures of red blood cells, helping them understand red cell morphology.
🧬 Blood transfusion – discovering how reaction patterns are used to determine a patient’s blood group.

The tour was wrapped up with an ‘Emotions Volcano’ to help understand feelings around hospital visits 🌋

And siblings Aoife, Louis and Tomas got to tour the labs after travelling from Guernsey for an appointment — making their journey extra special and memorable 💙

Interested in Harvey’s Lab Tours?
👉 Learn more: https://www.ibms.org/resources/harveys-lab-tours/

06/11/2025

The new Sleep Buddy digital support is designed to help children with ADHD improve their sleep and researchers are now inviting families to test how well it works.

Find out more 👇

UHS is leading a groundbreaking trial of a digital support tool designed to help children with ADHD improve their sleep.

Developed by experts and parents, Sleep Buddy offers practical advice, sleep plans and guidance tailored to the unique challenges faced by children with ADHD.

📊 Almost two thirds of children with ADHD experience sleep problems. These include finding it hard to get to sleep at bedtime, waking in the night or waking up early in the morning.

🏥 Researchers UHS, the University of Southampton and Southampton Clinical Trials Unit have been working with parents and carers of children with ADHD to develop Sleep Buddy. Families are now being invited to help researchers test to how well Sleep Buddy works in a large trial.

🔗 Find out more: https://www.uhs.nhs.uk/whats-new/press-releases/sleep-buddy-trial-aims-to-help-children-with-adhd-and-their-families

05/11/2025

It’s Youth Work Week and we’re celebrating the incredible impact of our youth workers both in the hospital and out in the community 💙

From working on the wards and in outpatient clinics to walk-and-talks in the community, our youth workers are there every step of the way. Through 1:1 support, they help young people navigate challenges, build confidence and take meaningful steps toward personal goals — whether that’s feeling more at ease in busy environments or engaging more with the world around them.

They also lead group activities that foster resilience, boost self-esteem and spark lasting friendships.

In hospital, youth workers offer support before, during, and after appointments — helping young people feel empowered, heard and confident in their care. It’s all about putting their voices at the centre of every decision.

Youth workers also receive referrals for targeted youth intervention, focusing on health education, personal development, wellbeing and transition. Their work enables young people to grow in independence and become active participants in their healthcare journey.

“Youth services have developed dramatically over the past eight years since I was appointed the first youth worker at UHS,” reflects Becky Cutler, PEEER cardiac youth yorker.

“The role was unknown to the staff and patients. Working with the multidisciplinary team, providing education on the role of a youth worker was vital to highlight the need for youth intervention.”

Today our PEEER youth workers are here to offer support to young people aged 11 to 25 years who have a long term condition. Working in partnership with Ready, Steady Go, PEEER now provides a dedicated and skilled team of youth workers, based in a variety of specialities throughout child health.

“I feel truly honoured to witness and support young people as they achieve goals that once felt out of reach or even impossible for them,” says Jasmine Hindle, PEEER youth worker, weight management.

“I get to help young people recognise their true potential and watch it grow beyond what they imagined. It’s a really special role and being trusted to be part of that journey is amazing.”

🙌 To all of our youth workers — thank you for your compassion, dedication and the difference you make every single day 👏

03/11/2025

Today marks the start of Occupational Therapy Week and we proudly celebrate the incredible work of our paediatric occupational therapists at Southampton Children’s Hospital 🎉

From helping children and young people build confidence in everyday tasks to supporting families through life-changing journeys, our OTs make a world of difference every single day 🙌

Their creativity, compassion and dedication empower our young patients to thrive — whether it’s through play, movement or tailored therapies that bring joy and independence 💜

THANK YOU to our amazing OT team 🙏

29/10/2025

Today 11-year-old Carmela Chillery-Watson kicked off her incredible charity walking challenge at Southampton Children’s Hospital 🌟

Carmela, who has congenital muscular dystrophy, is using all 657 affected muscles to take 6,570 steps in each of the hospitals where she has received care 💜

Her goal? To help create 657 dream experiences for others living with neuromuscular conditions, raising money for The Muscle Help Foundation.

This morning staff lined to the corridors of G level to support Carmela as she started her walking challenge.

After completing the first leg of the challenge, Carmela said: “Thank you (to SCH staff) for cheering me on for my walk,. I thought there wouldn’t be too many people coming, but there were so many, a very big surprise! It was incredible, you are amazing, keep doing what you’re doing.”

This is just the start of Carmela’s 24 hour challenge, as she will be walking around five hospitals that have supported her journey.

We’re cheering Carmela on every step of the way! 🎉👏