FRIDAY, 30 AUGUST, 2019

PHOTO ATTACHED: l-r GILLIAN KENNEDY, CHARLIE WITH ‘RAAR’ AND BILLY ALEXANDER

Charlie thinks NHS Tayside is grrrrrreat

Charlie thinks NHS Tayside’s staff have grrrrrreat tracking skills as they used them to hunt down his lost tiger at Ninewells.

When a little tiger liked ward 29 in The Tayside Children’s Hospital at Ninewells so much that he decided to stay behind, little did he know the upset he would cause to his five-year old owner Charlie Kennedy, who lives near Dairsie in Fife.

Charlie was being treated in ward 29 after falling in his garden and breaking his arm, and he brought his favourite soft toy ‘Raar’ the tiger with him into hospital for comfort. ‘Raar’ stayed close to Charlie during his treatment so it was a big shock to Charlie’s family when they returned home and discovered the tiger was missing.

Charlie really missed his favourite soft toy and Charlie’s mum Gillian contacted NHS Tayside to see if his tiger could be found. Gillian explained that she thought the tiger had tucked itself under Charlie’s bedcovers and when they collected Charlie from hospital it had been left behind in the ward.

Gillian said, “From the moment Charlie came to hospital everyone who looked after him was fantastic, they were so kind, caring and professional. Charlie was very brave when he broke his arm and when we realised that we had left his favourite toy in his hospital bed, we were not very hopeful that we would ever see it again. Charlie was very upset as ‘Raar’ is very special to him.

“I contacted the hospital to explain about Charlie’s lost tiger and I was absolutely delighted to receive a call telling me that he had been found.

“Charlie and I would like to thank everyone who was involved in tracking down ‘Raar’. It is heartening to know that staff made time to look for him, and in doing so, put a huge smile back on Charlie’s face.”

NHS Tayside’s Head of Soft Facilities Management Billy Alexander said, “When I was made aware of Charlie’s lost toy and that it may have been bundled up into Charlie’s bedding, the laundry staff at Ninewells were alerted.

“The laundry at Ninewells processes laundry from across all NHS Tayside sites everyday and I was delighted when staff in the laundry room discovered ‘Raar’. I know that the staff were as pleased as I was that it was a happy ending for Raar and that we were to be able to reunite Charlie with his special tiger.”

Contact:

Anna Michie

NHS Tayside Communications 01382) 424138