One Day at GOSH

Today Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity launches a new campaign which vividly chronicles the events during a day in the life of the hospital. One Day at GOSH is a compelling visual and intimate account of 24 hours at the hospital.

The charity’s film crew spent 24 hours in the company of patients, families, staff and volunteers of GOSH.

This is what happened…

One Day at GOSH opens in the early hours of the morning and one of the first patients we meet is Phoebe, recuperating in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) with her mum, Chloe. Shortly after birth, Phoebe was diagnosed with truncus arteriosus, a serious heart condition which required open heart surgery. World renowned, cardiac surgeon Mr Victor Tsang operated on Phoebe when she was just five days old and Chloe recounts this time.

“From the moment we arrived at GOSH it was quickly evident how many people were involved with Phoebe’s care, and we were grateful that experts from all around the world were contributing their advice and knowledge on Phoebe’s condition.”

Chloe goes on to explain how the staff have assisted Phoebe and provided reassurance to her and the rest of her family.

“All the medical staff are so personable and empathetic. Everyone makes the time to ask how we are and how our son is, as well as Phoebe. It does feel like an extended family.”

Read Phoebe's story in full on the charity website.

One Day at GOSH features a diverse cast of characters drawn from the children, young people, parents, families and staff. As the camera weaves its way through the hospital corridors its focus turns to the clinicians who work at GOSH. Mr Neil Bulstrode, a consultant plastic and reconstructive surgeon opens the doors of his operating theatre to offer a rare glimpse at a complex and innovative procedure – using a patient’s rib cartilage to create a new ear.

We see the procedure to sculpt a new ear for nine-year-old Lolita, who has microtia – a rare congenital condition affecting one in 7,000 babies, in which one or both ears are either underdeveloped or absent.

The audience sees Mr Bulstrode and his team operate simultaneously on Lolita’s ribcage and the site of her new ear. Despite the procedure being purely cosmetic, it can have a significant impact on the confidence of the children involved – something Mr Bulstrode is keen to emphasise.

“One of the things about operating on children is that you can affect not only their health, but also their confidence and their belief in themselves. By affecting that in a positive way, you will change what they are able to achieve in their lives,” he says.

Read the surgeon's story in full on the charity website.

As the evening draws in, the crew meet 10-year-old Freddie who is preparing to spend the night on the hospital’s Sleep Unit. On the unit, specialists are able to monitor Freddie’s severe sleep apnoea, a condition where the muscles and soft tissues in the throat relax and collapse sufficiently to cause a total blockage of the airway. Freddie was diagnosed at six months old and since then has been making regular visits to the hospital

Following Freddie’s recent stay on the Sleep Unit, Freddie’s mum, Helen, describes their experience of coming to GOSH.
“GOSH has been incredibly important to us,” says Helen. “I came to the hospital when I was eight years old for treatment for a heart condition. Without GOSH, neither Freddie nor I would probably be here – they’ve saved both of our lives. We got the best care in the world as far as I’m concerned.”

Read Freddie’s full story on the charity website.

The film continues in its candid journey through the early hours of the morning carefully documenting the experiences and intimate moments of the GOSH community.

Many thanks to all the patients, families and staff who helped to make One Day at GOSH.