On Friday 12 September, colleagues from across Leeds Children’s Hospital gathered at Headingley Stadium for the annual Kite Awards, a special event celebrating excellence, teamwork, innovation, and compassion across children and young people’s services at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Our CEO, Emily, and Head of Family Support, Natalie, attended the ceremony to celebrate this achievement and to acknowledge the importance of high-quality, compassionate care for children and young people with cancer. Nine award categories recognised everything from improvements in patient safety and innovation in care, to going the extra mile for families, inspiring colleagues, and supporting new team members through the Rising Star award. In total, an incredible 160 nominations were received this year, shining a light on the amazing dedication of hospital staff in every role. Among those celebrated were nurses, consultants, allied health professionals, doctors, ward teams, housekeepers, and surgeons, all recognised for their outstanding contributions to patient care. We were thrilled to see Professor Bob Phillips, Director of the Candlelighters Supportive Care Research Centre (CSCRC), and Gabi Reynolds receive the Special Moment in Care Award. This award recognised their exceptional compassion and support for teenage patient Liz, following her palliative diagnosis… a powerful example of the difference that kindness and care can make in the most difficult moments. At Candlelighters, we feel privileged to work so closely with the incredible professionals at Leeds Children’s Hospital and the Candlelighters Supportive Care Research Centre, who share our commitment to improving experiences and outcomes for children with cancer and their families.
