Six-year-old inspiring fundraising for West Midlands' Acorns Children's Hospice
Sam and his family receive support from the hospice in Walsall
A six-year-old boy living with a rare and severe heart condition is helping to inspire Acorns Children’s Hospice’s first-ever Be a Kid Week.
For Sam, from Sutton Coldfield, childhood hasn’t been shaped by playgrounds and ball games but by hospital stays, major surgeries and constant uncertainty.
He's undergone three open-heart surgeries, multiple cardiac procedures and continues to experience severe fatigue, mental health struggles, regulating his temperature and a weakened immune system.
However, at Acorns Children’s Hospice in Walsall, Sam enjoys the sensory room and play therapy, while the support the hospice provides gives his family precious time and space to focus on being a family alongside the medical challenges they face.
He's now become the face of the charity's inaugural "be a Kid Week" campaign, which is asking grown-ups to put aside the everyday and rediscover the things they loved as children, from dressing up and playground games to nostalgic food, puzzles and silly challenges, all while raising money to help seriously ill children have more opportunities to play, laugh, explore and make memories.
The money raised will support the hospices in Birmingham, Walsall and Worcester, as well as in family home and communities across the West Midlands.
Sam's told us his favourite things are "playing Roblox" and "playing with his superhero toys (especially Deadpool!)".
His message to get everyone in the West Midlands playing ad having fun is simple.
"You can do it!" he said.
"Be imaginative."
His dad, Matt, say's seeing him be the star of the show is amazing.
"He's been through so much in such a short time," he said.
Matt said while the money raised from the campaign will be invaluable, there's many other benefits as well.
He said: "It helps people remember how important family time is.
"It's so easy to just be distracted by everyday life, work and things to do around the house, that you do forget the important things - time spent with family.
"I think mental health wise as well, just to take a step back away from everything."
Uzma Shaheen, Senior Community Partnerships Manager at Acorns Children’s Hospice, said: “Sam reminds us that, whatever challenges a child faces, they are still a child first.
"They deserve time to play, laugh, explore and make memories with the people they love.
“That’s what Be a Kid Week is all about. We’re asking grown-ups to embrace their inner child and have some fun, so that children like Sam can have more precious moments of childhood and make forever memories with their families.”