GOSH charity reveals its new Christmas advert featuring fly-on-the-wall footage from Christmases on the wards

Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (GOSH Charity) has released its new Christmas TV advert featuring fly-on-the-wall footage of families of seriously ill children who spent last Christmas on the wards at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).

The film, which has Coldplay's All My Love as the soundtrack, features 12 families supported by GOSH Charity and over 20 different staff members and tells a ‘day in the life’ story of the magical moments created for children at the hospital by the charity at Christmastime.

A ballerina dances onto a hospital ward, a little girl meets Santa and an elf, and the Play team make children smile, before viewers are left with the message: “We need your help to make Christmas feel like Christmas”, and urged to donate.

The advert launches the GOSH Charity’s Christmas Appeal, raising awareness of the services it provides including a Play team that bring children joy on the hospital wards, a multi-faith Chaplaincy team catering to all religions to give families spiritual support at their toughest time, and GOSH Arts, a programme that  enhances the hospital experience through creative displays, visiting performers and cultural experiences. GOSH Charity also funds groundbreaking research into children’s health, cutting-edge medical equipment, child-centred medical facilities and the support services children and families going through the toughest journey of their lives urgently need.

One of the children featured in the advert is a two-year-old Ruby from North London who has spent more than 700 days in hospital since she was born, including her first Christmas.

Ruby is thought to be one of only 1,000 children in the world to have PMM2-CDG, a rare condition that affects the whole body.

Ruby was rushed to GOSH in December 2023 at just eight weeks old when doctors noticed her tummy was swelling and she wasn't gaining weight. A scan revealed that her heart was "tiny and squeezed by a black mass" - which was fluid surrounding the organ.

She spent Christmas Day in hospital with parents Elle, 35, and Steve, 43, by her bedside. Ruby was eventually allowed home but returned to the hospital in March last year. While she was allowed home for Christmas Day, she was rushed back into hospital on Boxing Day with a suspected infection and has been there ever since.

Elle, Ruby’s mum, a yoga teacher, says she is really proud that Ruby is featured in the advert. She says:

“I was so emotional when I saw the advert. Christmas still happens, of course, when you have a sick child. It just looks different. But GOSH pulls out all the stops to make it as festive as possible. There are carols, stockings, decorations - even Christmas dinner. Ruby still plays with the toy she was given last year. While we’re hoping to be at home for Ruby’s first proper Christmas Day this year, GOSH are like family and make it really special.”

Dad Steve, adds: “I couldn’t be more proud, I was moved to tears when I saw the advert. Ruby has been in a critical condition a number of times in the last two years, so to see her shining brightly on screen was a joy.”

Elle and Steve are hopeful Ruby will make it home for Christmas this year as the toddler is thriving thanks to Elle donating a piece of her liver to Ruby in a four-hour operation this June. But they know they will get the support they need and staff will make their Christmas as magical for Ruby as they can if she does need to stay in hospital.

“At GOSH Charity, we are determined to make every moment matter for the seriously ill children and families who will spend Christmas at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Our Christmas advert captures the precious moments of 12 families who have spent Christmas at the hospital and how, thanks to our generous supporters, the hospital’s incredible workforce, like the dedicated Play team, can bring joy to the wards, helping to create magical moments like carol singing, Christmas parties and Santa visits.

"We hope that the public will be moved by our advert, seeing how we support families to be there from early morning stocking opening, all the way to bedtime stories. We are urging people to donate so we can continue to help Christmas feel like Christmas for seriously ill children, from decorating trees with the Play team to providing accommodation right by the hospital so parents can be near their children during long hospital stays. We want every child to have a Christmas full of joy because every moment matters.”

See the advert and donate.

-Ends-

Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (GOSH Charity) stops at nothing to help give seriously ill children childhoods that are fuller, funner and longer. For the hundreds of children from all over the UK who are treated by Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) every day, for children with rare or complex illnesses everywhere, for this generation and all those to come.

GOSH has been transforming the lives of seriously ill children since opening its doors in 1852 and has always depended on charitable support. GOSH Charity funds groundbreaking research into children’s health, cutting-edge medical equipment, child-centred medical facilities and the support services children and families going through the toughest journey of their lives urgently need. But there is so much more we need to do.

Together with our supporters, we can give seriously ill children the best chance, and the best childhoods, possible. Because we believe no childhood should be lost to serious illness.

Every day, over 700 seriously ill children are seen at GOSH and there are 67 different clinical specialties at GOSH, which is the highest number at any children's hospital in Europe.