Open Day 2007
Sunday 1 July 2007 - A FANTASTIC event - looking forward to next year!

1st. July was King's fifth Open Day when the local community is invited to learn more about the hospital, talk to staff and have a good time. All departments within the hospital had excellent displays and activities and the outside marquees and the Golden Jubilee Wing Atrium hummed with people. Face painting, puppets and special effects make-up, as well as interactive games, entertained the children, and a sponsored abseil down the face of the Golden Jubilee Wing added excitement.

As I was helping with the Listen stall, I made my way to Suite Three where the Liver Unit had their displays. I was met by Jacomi who gave me a T -shirt to don which was also being worn by six other transplant recipients advertising our transplants. As these were lime green we were hard to miss! We manned the Listen stall giving information about the support group, distributed organ donation leaflets, helped with the Lucky Dip to raise money, and talk about our transplants. It was encouraging to see several people signing up to the National Organ Donor Register on the adjacent stall.

The Liver Unit had several impressive stalls enthusiastically manned by their staff. Everyone was having a fantastic time taking part in interactive displays where they learnt about the liver and how to look after it, the work of the Unit, the Liver Clinic, transplantation and organ donation.They could try keyhole surgery, be taught how to make a stitch, and perform an endoscopy.Children were having a great time in the operation room where they donned surgeons' robes and masks.

It was a wonderful day with a warm and friendly atmosphere where everyone was involved and thoroughly enjoying themselves and learning more about their hospital. We fortunate transplant recipients had a fantastic day and hope we demonstrated how transplants transforms lives - thanks to the dedicated staff of King's College Hospital and our donors and their families to whom we owe so much.