The Magic of Milly
Progress were thrilled to sponsor the inaugural ball for The Magic of Milly last summer by paying for the hire of Litchfield Cathedral. Thanks to an amazing night, £34,205 was raised for Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
Did you miss out on last year’s event? Here is a recap of the wonderful evening had by all: Click here to watch the video!
The Magic of Milly charity was founded by a group of family, friends and hospital staff that were all touched by the spirit of a very brave little girl during her short life. Milly was born at 37 weeks weighing just 4lbs 13ozs and was sadly diagnosed with a congenital condition at 12 weeks. Milly spent much of her short life in the hospital however, through the support of her family and a team of overnight carers, she was able to experience the normal life of a toddler at home for a little over 8 months. Unfortunately, just before her 2nd birthday, Milly sadly passed away due to complications after surgery. The impression she left will surely be felt for a long time to come.
The charity aims to raise awareness of the specialist teams at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. The founders also wish to raise funds to invest in further medical equipment as well as alert everyone to the importance of the skills of the workers in the paediatric unit as it was, at points, the lifeline for their daughter during her short lifetime. Longer term, the charity hopes to create a support network for families suffering a bereavement.
The Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Birmingham Children’s Hospital is the largest PICU in the UK and leading paediatric intensive care for the West Midlands. Day in and day out, there are a group of dedicated doctors who work around the clock to ensure that the children are receiving the best possible care that will help them get better. The PICU are proud that every day around 3-4 children go home as a result of the care and treatment that they received. With a nurse by every patient 24 hours day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, families and parents alike can be assured their little ones are in safe hands.
The Magic of Milly charity has already done a fantastic job supporting the PICU. Alongside the Rainbow Ball, they have raised over £65,000 through donations for completing Birmingham half marathon, a Christmas carol evening at the Bowling Green pub in Lichfield and a wonderful fundraising event at Peartree Creperie at Swinfen.
Last year, our Managing Director, Claire Rogers attended the ball on behalf of everyone here at Progress and she thoroughly enjoyed the event of celebration and reflection. We are proud to support a charity that embodies values similar to our own and wish everyone at The Magic of Milly good luck with their fundraising target of £100,000.
The founders of The Magic of Milly want to continue to engage with the fantastic team at the PICU. They care for so many families and it is important to grant them with the support they deserve. Progress are pleased to be supporting again this year! The Strictly for Milly event will take place Saturday 2nd September, starting 7pm at Lichfield Cathedral. Tickets cost £35 for a beautiful evening of music and dancing. See you there!
To book tickets or for more information on the charity please visit the Magic of Milly site: http://magicofmilly.co.uk.