Kitten Scanner to help sick kids at Glasgow hospital

GLASGOW’S Royal Hospital for Children has taken receipt of Scotland’s first Kitten Scanner at its Imaging and Diagnostics department.

The Kitten Scanner, courtesy of HSBC Hamilton, is a miniature version of a real MRI scanner and the hospital’s Play Team use it to show the children how the scanner works and take the anxiety out of the real procedure.

The scanner has been purchased as part of a wider project to enhance the entire Imaging Preparation Suite.

Kirsten Sinclair, Director of Fundraising at Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “We are incredibly grateful to the staff at the HSBC Hamilton Contact Centre for their invaluable support throughout 2017.

“The whole team has really got behind our charity partnership, and have thrown themselves into their fundraising endeavours with real enthusiasm.

“These enhancements to the Imaging and Preparation Suite will help thousands of children each year, making an immediate difference to their experience in hospital.”

Amelie Trotter, a six-year old patient at the hospital, will be one of the patients who will benefit from the Kitten Scanner.

Her dad, Walter Trotter, said: “When we first attended the hospital Amelie was just three and, as you can imagine, she was petrified of the scan and the scanner itself.

“This meant most of her scans were being carried out under general anaesthetic, resulting long days in hospital and a stressful time for everyone. There is an obvious benefit to get the kids to a stage when a general anaesthetic is not required, and I’m sure this equipment will be very much appreciated by everyone who benefits.”

The staff at HSBC in Hamilton raised funds for the Kitten Scanner by fundraising for Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity through the year.

Staff took part in activities including skydives, bake sales, sponsored walks and a charity night.