The brainchild of recently retired CUH consultant paediatrician and European Academy of Paediatrics executive committee member, Dr Rob Ross-Russell, the event aims to promote the idea that taking care of children’s health and welfare is vital to the future of society. Entitled Healthy Child, Healthy World, it has hoped this will become an annual event at the hospital.
Starting at 11:30, there will be stands and events in the hospital concourse and outpatients department, including the ever-popular Teddy Bears’ hospital where student doctors give children an insight into their work.
Cambridge United Football Club will promote physical exercise and there will be advice from hospital dieticians.
A special guest on the day will be Dr Waheed Arian, winner of 2018 Rotary Peace Prize for his work with the Arian Teleheal Charity, which connects NHS doctors with medics in war-torn areas using mobile technology.
Waheed spent his early childhood cowering from bombs in Kabul but came to the UK as a 15-year-old, having taught himself English listening to the world service determined to become a doctor. He taught himself GCSEs whist working in a shop, obtained outstanding A levels and was accepted by Trinity College, Cambridge. He qualified as a doctor in 2012.
There will be a series of posters covering topics such as head injury, diabetes and allergies. Charities will represent the care and support given to children facing life changing events such as the death of loved ones and facing serious illness and there will be a stand highlightingour liaison work overseas.
The day encourages understanding of the convention on the rights of the child, the basis of Unicef’s work. It looks at all aspects of a child’s life and has been ratified by most countries in the world.
Visitors can read a summary of the UN convention of the rights of the child on posters across the hospital.
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