Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity
{{Infobox organization
| formation = {{start date and age|1991|09|26}}
| formerly = The Roald Dahl Foundation
| founder = Felicity Dahl
| purpose = Provides specialist nurses to support seriously ill children and their families.
| headquarters = Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom
| leader_title = Chief Executive
| leader_name = Louise Griew
| leader_title2 = Co-president
| leader_name2 = Felicity Dahl
| leader_title3 = Co-president
| leader_name3 = Quentin Blake
| leader_title4 = Royal Patron
| leader_name4 = Queen Camilla
| website = {{URL|http://www.roalddahlcharity.org}}
}}
Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity is a charitable organization based in the United Kingdom.{{Cite web |title=ROALD DAHL'S MARVELLOUS CHILDREN'S CHARITY - Charity 1137409 |url=https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/?p_p_id=uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=maximized&p_p_mode=view&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_regId=1137409&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_subId=0 |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk }} The charity was founded in 1991 as the Roald Dahl Foundation by Felicity Dahl, in memory of her husband, children's author Roald Dahl.{{Cite web |last=Charity |first=Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's |title=Our History |url=https://www.roalddahlcharity.org/what-we-do/about-us/our-history/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity }} The charity provides specialist support for seriously ill children across the UK{{Cite web |title=Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity |url=https://www.westnorthants.gov.uk/directory/local-offer/1bbc455d-41c6-4001-b9ce-eb87e84daa87 |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=www.westnorthants.gov.uk }} by sponsoring 'Roald Dahl Nurse Specialists' roles who work within NHS Trusts{{Cite journal |last1=Nightingale |first1=Julie |last2=Ali |first2=Nancy |last3=Lewis |first3=Robin |last4=Ibbotson |first4=Rachel |last5=Monks |first5=Helen |last6=Urquhart-Kelly |first6=Tanya |last7=Saunders |first7=Lesley |date=May 2023 |title=Transforming nursing care for children with serious long-term conditions: A mixed methods exploration of the impact of Roald Dahl Specialist Nurses in the United Kingdom |url=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2023.02.004 |journal=Journal of Pediatric Nursing |volume=70 |pages=90–102 |doi=10.1016/j.pedn.2023.02.004 |pmid=36848741 |issn=0882-5963}} to provide practical and emotional support to children with complex, often life-long, medical conditions.{{Cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Gemma |date=2023-10-16 |title=Charity establishing nurse role for medically complex children |url=https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/children/charity-establishing-nurse-role-for-medically-complex-children-16-10-2023/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Nursing Times }} The charity also provides support services for the families of children with complex medical needs, and financial grants.{{Cite web |last=Charity |first=Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's |title=Financial Support Service |url=https://www.roalddahlcharity.org/what-we-do/financial-support-service/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity}}{{Cite web |title=Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity - NICHI Health Alliance - Northern Ireland |url=https://healthallianceni.com/funding_schemes/roald-dahls-marvellous-childrens-charity/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=NICHI Health Alliance}}
Roald Dahl nurse specialists
The charity works with the National Health Service to provide specialist nurses known as 'Roald Dahl' nurses to work within NHS trusts.{{Cite web |title=Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity |url=https://smileycharityfilmawards.com/charities/roald-dahls-marvellous-childrens-charity |website=Smiley charity film awards}} There are over 120 such clinical nurse specialists currently working in trusts across the country.{{Cite web |title=Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/charityappeals/what-your-money-does/lifeline/roalddahlsmarvellouschildrenscharity-2022-23/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=www.bbc.co.uk }}{{Cite web |date=2024-01-24 |title=How legacy of children's author has brought specialist nurse to Ipswich Hospital |url=https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/24071550.roald-dahl-nurse-joins-ipswich-hospital-help-children/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Ipswich Star }} The Roald Dahl nurses are jointly funded by the charity and the trusts in a 5-year programme, the charity paying for the first 2 years of employment, and the trust paying for the remaining 3 years.{{Cite web |date=2018-09-06 |title=Success for HWB research team in Roald Dahl Charity bid |url=https://blogs.shu.ac.uk/hwbstaffnews/2018/09/06/success-for-hwb-research-team-in-roald-dahl-charity-bid/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Inside Health and Wellbeing}} The nurses specialise in areas such as haematology, epilepsy, rare diseases, neuromuscular conditions, care for children with complex lifetime medical needs, or in supporting child patients to transition to adult healthcare.{{Cite web |title=Roald Dahl Nurse Specialists |url=https://www.roalddahlcharity.org/what-we-do/roald-dahl-nurses/ |access-date=2024-04-21 |website=Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity Official Website}}{{Cite web |date=2021-03-16 |title=Roald Dahl Specialist Nurses: Me and My Transition {{!}} The Channel |url=https://thechannel.org.uk/treatment/roald-dahl-specialist-nurses-me-and-my-transition |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=thechannel.org.uk}}{{Cite web |last=Evans |first=Anuji |date=2022-06-08 |title=NHS Trust wins children's nurse funding |url=https://www.swbh.nhs.uk/news/nhs-trust-wins-childrens-nurse-funding/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust}}
The nurses work with patients with complex needs, supporting them and their families to understand and better manage their health conditions,{{Cite web |date=2022-06-23 |title=Thousands raised to help fund a new Roald Dahl Epilepsy Specialist Nurse {{!}} Charity Today News |url=https://www.charitytoday.co.uk/thousands-raised-to-help-fund-a-new-roald-dahl-epilepsy-specialist-nurse/ |access-date=2024-04-20}} as well as acting as a liaison between the parents and other medical care providers. Providing support that improves the patients' well-being and reduces their utilisation of other medical resources.{{Cite web |title=Roald Dahl case studies - Natalie Baines Case Study |url=https://www.rcn.org.uk/-/media/Royal-College-Of-Nursing/Documents/Professional-Development/Research/Innovations/Roald-Dahl-case-studies/Natalie-Baines-Case-Study.pdf}} In 2020, a 2-year project (partly funded by the charity){{Cite web |title=Evaluation of Roald Dahl Specialist Nurses |url=https://www.hra.nhs.uk/planning-and-improving-research/application-summaries/research-summaries/evaluation-of-roald-dahl-specialist-nurses/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Health Research Authority}} to evaluate the effectiveness of the Roald Dahl nurses described the concept as a 'new model of paediatric nursing' and found that the nurses improved both the quality and experience of care of patients and their families.
History and patrons
The Roald Dahl foundation was founded in 1991 by Felicity Dahl, in honour of her recently diseased husband, with the support of Roald's long-time illustrator Quentin Blake,{{Cite book |last=Dennison |first=Matthew |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0MZ0EAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Roald+Dahl+Foundation%22&pg=PT100 |title=Roald Dahl: Teller of the Unexpected: A Biography |date=2023-01-03 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=978-1-63936-333-9 }} the charity was originally focussed on supporting children with neurological and haematological conditions, as well as supporting child literacy initiatives.{{Cite book |last=Solomon |first=Tom |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RnVvEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Roald+Dahl+Foundation%22&pg=PT177 |title=Roald Dahl's Marvellous Medicine |date=2016-09-13 |publisher=Liverpool University Press |isbn=978-1-78138-867-9}} The charity was re-named Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity in 2010,{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Rowan |date=2018-09-11 |title=Roald Dahl Story Company to donate profits to charity |url=https://forreadingaddicts.co.uk/childrens-literature/roald-dahl-story-company-to-donate-profits-to-charity/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=For Reading Addicts}} and expanded its work to support children with complex medical conditions more widely.{{Cite web |last=Morriss |first=Emma |date=2018-10-09 |title=Roald Dahl's legacy supporting seriously ill children |url=https://pf-media.co.uk/careers/roald-dahls-legacy-seriously-ill-children/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Pf Media}}
Queen Camilla (then Duchess of Cornwall), became the charity's Royal Patron in 2017,{{Cite web |date=2017-12-13 |title=The Duchess of Cornwall becomes the new Royal Patron of Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity |url=https://www.royal.uk/clarencehouse/duchess-cornwall-becomes-new-royal-patron-roald-dahls-marvellous-childrens-charity |website=The official website of the Royal Family}} and has regularly involved children supported by the charity in Christmas events,{{Cite web |date=6 December 2023 |title=The Queen invites children to decorate the Clarence House Christmas Tree |url=https://www.royal.uk/news-and-activity/2023-12-06/the-queen-invites-children-to-decorate-the-clarence-house-christmas |website=The official website of the Royal Family}} as well as supporting the charity in International Nurses Day celebrations.{{Cite web |date=12 May 2021 |title=Their Royal Highnesses mark International Nurses' Day |url=https://www.royal.uk/clarencehouse/their-royal-highnesses-mark-international-nurses-day |website=The official website of the Royal Family}} The charity has a number of celebrity patrons including the actress Dame Joanna Lumley,{{Cite web |date=2020-12-11 |title=Abso-lot-ely fabulous: Joanna Lumley tries out her auctioneering skills at Christie's |url=https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2020/12/11/abso-lot-ely-fabulous-joanna-lumley-tries-out-her-auctioneering-skills-at-christies |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=The Art Newspaper - International art news and events}} television presenter Claudia Winkleman,{{Cite web |title=Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/charityappeals/what-your-money-does/lifeline/roalddahlsmarvellouschildrenscharity-2022-23/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=www.bbc.co.uk |language=en}} and Tim Minchin, composer and lyricist for Matilda the Musical.{{Cite web |title=Tim Minchin stars at UWA Graduation Ceremony : Archive Page : The University of Western Australia |url=https://www.news.uwa.edu.au/archive/201309176069/alumni/tim-minchin-stars-uwa-graduation-ceremony/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=www.news.uwa.edu.au}}
References
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