THE Easter bunny was joined by a television favourite to light up the faces of seriously-ill children in hospital.
Peppa Pig made a surprise visit yesterday with armfuls of Easter eggs for the children of Shipwreck and Starfish wards at Queen Alexandra Hospital Cosham.
The fun was organised by Pam Westbrook whose daughter Hannah was treated at the hospital in 2003.
She sadly died in 2004 from Hodgkins Lymphoma and Pam set up the charity Hannah’s Holiday Home in her memory.
Pam said: ‘Of course none of the children wants to be there so it was great to be able to see their faces light up when we came in.
‘The hospital was so welcoming and we even saw some of the doctors and nurses who treated Hannah.
‘The kids loved Peppa Pig. One of the little girls woke up from an operation to see Peppa Pig at the bottom of her bed. She must have thought she was hallucinating.’
Jamie and Claire Harris, both 35, were distraught when both their daughters fell seriously ill from a virus last week.
Hollie, six, was taken to hospital on Thursday and four-year-old Eden, went in by ambulance on Friday.
Hollie has been discharged and Eden is recovering but it’s been a very worrying few days for the family.
Mrs Harris, from Portchester, said: ‘We couldn’t believe it when Peppa Pig turned up.
‘The girls were delighted and, to be honest, it cheered up the grown-ups too. It was such a lovely thing to do.’
Pam, from Horndean, was joined by Gareth Young and Keith Morley from Eaton Aerospace, in Havant, who dressed as Peppa Pig and the Easter bunny.
The company donated more than 100 Easter eggs and the rest will be given out at the Piam Brown children’s ward at Southampton General Hospital, today.
Pam said: ‘Hannah was an inspiration to me and her legacy lives on. Even though she’s not here she’s still helping other people.’
Go to hannahsappeal.org.
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