West Ham United stars James Ward-Prowse, Ben Johnson and Dinos Mavropanos were treated to a special tour of Richard House Children’s Hospice when they paid a visit to the Club’s charity partner.
London’s first ever children’s hospice - opened back in 2000 - Richard House supports young people with life-limiting health conditions and their families, through a variety of services such as respite care and end-of-life care.
The men’s first-team trio were welcomed and shown around the extensive facility in Canning Town by Samuel Atta, a two-year-old boy who was born prematurely with a chronic lung disease and relies on a tracheostomy to breathe.
Samuel engaged the players in a number of activities - including playing games and singing nursery rhymes - while the Richard House staff were able to share their knowledge and experiences in a meet-and-greet, which culminated in photographs and autograph signings.
Ward-Prowse said: “It was great to meet everyone at Richard House, and learn about the amazing work that goes on here. I’ve not been at West Ham for that long, so I didn’t know too much about it before this visit, but I quickly realised why the Club has had an affiliation with the charity for a long time.
“Samuel was brilliant at showing us around. He’s going through a tough time at the minute, so it was nice to be able to spend time with him, get to hear about his story and hopefully put a smile on his face.
“Days like this put football into perspective, and make you see the bigger picture. The staff here do an amazing job in what is a tough and demanding environment, and hopefully through the power of football we can continue to raise awareness of that.”
“Being invited to see what happens here on a day-to-day basis was really lovely,” added Johnson. “Samuel enjoys his TV programmes and his musical instruments, and spending time with him opened my eyes to the fact that even though some people can’t communicate with their voice, they can communicate with their being.
“Meeting all the staff members was really uplifting, too. Everyone at Richard House does an incredible job that makes such a difference to so many lives, so for us to have an impact on their day was huge.
“Their work takes a lot of fortitude and passion, and it was amazing to be able to share some laughs with them, pose for photographs and pass on some signed shirts and pictures.”
Johnson and Ward-Prowse indeed gifted Samuel and the hospice their signed shirts, while Mavropanos reserved one of his for a particularly special member of the Richard House family.
Sarah Gayler, who is a Staff Nurse in charge of caring for children including Samuel, said: “I’m a West Ham Season Ticket Holder and Dinos is my favourite player, so for him to come over and give me a signed shirt was really lovely! My partner is going to be very jealous!
“It means so much to all of us at Richard House for the players to have given up their time to come and see us, listen to our stories and find out more about the vital work that we do here.
“West Ham have supported Richard House for a number of years now, and that’s so important for getting our name out there. Raising that awareness and projecting our story is huge, and the club has a big part to play in that.
“Most importantly, Samuel had a brilliant day. We all thought he might be nervous, but he took to the players really well, and they were brilliant at interacting with him and asking lots of questions. It’s something we’ll all remember for a very long time.”
About Richard House Children’s Hospice
The unwavering mission at Richard House Children’s Hospice is to provide compassionate assistance to families grappling with life-limiting and life-threatening health conditions in their children.
Its comprehensive services - including respite care, hospice-at-home, bereavement counselling, music and art therapy, sensory play, family trips and activities, and end-of-life care - have extended to over 300 families throughout London in the past year alone.
Challenges
In the 2022/23 financial year, Richard House dedicated over 12,000 hours to respite care and high-complexity care. However, the urgent need for services in London remains evident. Over 3,500 families, particularly in deprived areas like Newham and Tower Hamlets, require assistance, urging crucial extra funding to offer more care to those in need.
How you can help
The sustaining force behind Richard House’s mission lies in the support of the community, volunteers and donors. For more information, or to get involved, click HERE.
