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Girl who spent Christmas in hospital returns with gifts

Josh SandifordWest Midlands
News imageFamily A young girl surrounded by toys. She has one under her arm and she is smiling at the camera. She is wearing a white jumper, leopard legging and a Christmas hat. There is a Christmas tree and other decorations behind her.Family
Amelia is expected to deliver more than 1,000 presents in the West Midlands and Tyneside

Two years after spending Christmas in hospital waiting for a heart transplant, 10-year-old Amelia is back on the wards.

Not as a patient, though. This time, the schoolgirl is delivering about 1,000 gifts to children receiving treatment during the festive period.

She knows what it is like, having spent Christmas 2023 at Birmingham Children's Hospital due to a congenital heart defect. In April last year, she was flown to The Freeman Hospital in Newcastle for vital surgery.

The youngster from Kingswinford, has now returned to sites in the West Midlands and Tyneside to drop off toys and gifts for others, as part of what she is calling a series of "Santa drop offs".

"The reason why I wanted to do the Christmas Santa drop off is to put a smile on [the faces of] all the children who are in [hospital] at the moment," she said.

"As we all know, Christmas is a special time and it's hard for everyone who is in there."

News imageFamily Amelia in a helicopter. She has a big excited smile on her face. She has a tube up her nose and large pink headphones.Family
Amelia was flown from Birmingham Children's Hospital to The Freeman Hospital in Newcastle for surgery

Amelia flew in a helicopter from Birmingham Children's Hospital to The Freeman to receive her new heart.

The ten-year-old has now returned to both, as well as Ronald McDonald House in Birmingham and New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton, where she has dropped off hundreds of presents.

News imageFamily Amelia with her family in a medical setting. Mum (Liz) and dad (Justin) are either side of the two young sisters Imogen and Amelia. Both are wearing plastic aprons. They are smiling at the camera. Family
Amelia with her family. Mum Liz, sister Imogen, Amelia and her dad Justin (L-R)

Her family will visit Russell's Hall in Dudley on Wednesday, when the final tally of gifts is expected to comfortably exceed 1,000.

Some gifts have already gone to the sickest children who cannot leave their beds, while others will be saved for Santa to deliver on Christmas Day.

Nurses have received chocolates and festive socks, and Amelia even gave her surgeon chocolates during an emotional reunion.

News imageFamily A young girl surrounded by toys and other presents such as chocolate. She is smiling at the camera. She is wearing a white jumper, leopard legging and a Christmas hat. There is a Christmas tree with lots of decorations behind her.Family
Amelia says it is all about making people smile

Amelia's dad Justin said messages from proud family and friends were flooding in "left right and centre", with some nurses even left with tears in their eyes.

"I'm so proud of her," he said.

"We just know how hard it is. You adjust when you're in there but no time is easy, especially Christmas.

"You're supposed to be around your family. It's just nice to do something to put a smile on their face and [help them] get through it."

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