Boris Johnson: I'm giving up carbs for Great Ormond Street - what will you do?

The Mayor of London has backed our Give to GOSH appeal for the ‘awe-inspiring’ hospital
Diet: The Mayor of London will go without food including bread, pasta and potatoes for the whole of January
Alex Lentati
Anna Davis @_annadavis4 January 2016

Boris Johnson today urged Londoners to use their New Year’s resolutions to raise money for “the truly awe-inspiring” Great Ormond Street Hospital.

The Mayor called on people to “Give it up for GOSH” and get sponsored to go without something for January.

His plea came as he announced he is giving up carbohydrates for the month to raise money for the children’s hospital.

He said: “Whether it is a delicious slice of bread, a hearty bowl of pasta or some scrumptious roast potatoes, I am certainly going to miss my carbohydrates but that is a small price to pay for supporting the truly awe-inspiring Great Ormond Street Hospital and helping to give seriously ill children the best chance in life.

“Whatever your New Year’s resolution, I’d like to urge Londoners to give something up for Great Ormond Street and help this most worthy of causes.”

As well as celebrating willpower, Give it up for GOSH shows solidarity with the young patients at the hospital who so often have to give up their favourite foods or activities as part of their treatment.

They include six-year-old Ralph Frost, who has to stick to a very restricted diet while he waits for a kidney transplant. As part of our new fundraising initiative, Londoners are encouraged to give something up for January — be it coffee, chocolate or alcohol — and be sponsored for it in aid of the Give to Gosh appeal. Martin Elliott, professor of cardiothoracic surgery at the hospital, said: “For more than 30 years I have had the great honour of caring for children from across the world at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Give it up for young patient Ralph Frost, 6
Lucy Young

“Unfortunately, many of them will have to make great sacrifices, giving up things that most children take for granted in order to help them get better. For instance, a child waiting for a transplant can no longer run in the playground or play football; or a patient in isolation misses out on being in school or seeing their friends.

“The spirit and bravery of these patients never ceases to amaze me, and I know it will be incredibly special for them to know that this January, people across London will be standing with them and giving something up as part of the Give to Gosh appeal.”

Annabel Bartfeld, 43, of Hampstead, will give up her beloved chocolate for the whole of January. Her 10-year-old daughter Jessica was diagnosed with a brain tumour when she was two and received life-saving treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Annabel Bartfeld with her daughter Jessica
Great Ormond Street Hospital

She said: “When our local hospital told us that there was no treatment for Jessica’s brain tumour, my family was plummeted to hell. This was the hardest time of my life.

“We were taken to GOSH the next day by ambulance and within three days Jessy underwent an eight-hour operation to remove the tumour.

“The care Jessy received was unbelievable — every person we met at GOSH was so caring and attentive. Jessy was very ill post-surgery and we spent a month on the ward. Although she couldn’t walk, talk, or swallow after her operation, she is now fully recovered and requires no further treatment.”

Speaking about her challenge for January she said: “I absolutely adore my piece of dark chocolate every evening after my meal so it’s going be hard for me. I’m determined to do it.” Readers who give up sweets, cheese, chocolate or alcohol can expect their health to improve as a result.

Others who give up taking the Tube and walk to work instead could end up taking the same amount of steps as GOSH ward sister Melissa Strickland, who tots up over 19,000 steps on an average 12-hour shift.

Give to GOSH: Where your money will go

  • Funding the Louis Dundas Centre for Children’s Palliative Care, for patients who have life-limiting or life-threatening conditions
  • Supporting the creation of a new specialist unit helping children with heart failure to stay well while they wait for a heart transplant
  • Funding research programmes, which aim to find new cures and treatments for children with rare diseases
  • Funding the patient and family support programme at the hospital, including a dedicated play team which designs activities for children to aid their treatment, recovery and understanding of their illness. It also funds a wide range of other support, all helping to make life as “normal” as possible for families while children are in hospital, often for weeks or months at a time

Getting started with Give it up for Gosh is simple: Choose just one thing to give up, then follow the link below where JustGiving will help you to create a page and encourage friends, family and colleagues to donate. All donations will help to make a difference to seriously ill children and their families from across the UK.

Anne-Marie Huby, managing director and co-founder of JustGiving, said: “JustGiving is delighted to be supporting the ‘Give it up for GOSH’ campaign.”

Are you giving something up? We'd love to hear from you? Get in touch by emailing sebastian.mann@standard.co.uk

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