Help support Harvey’s Gang
This holiday season we would like to spare a thought for all the sick children in hospital by reflecting on Harvey ‘Buster’ Baldwin, whose curiosity about his blood sample inspired a national multi-award-winning charity.
In 2013, Malcolm Robinson, then Chief Biomedical Scientist at Worthing Hospital, was contacted about a young patient. Six-year-old Harvey ‘Buster’ Baldwin had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia and was spending a lot of time in hospital undergoing treatment and was having to have a lot of blood taken for tests. Malcolm learned that Harvey was curious about what happened to his samples and wished to visit the laboratory.
Malcolm arranged for Harvey to have a tour and, to make him feel like part of the laboratory team, he made sure that Harvey received a little lab coat and a badge to wear while he learned what happened to his sample. It gave Harvey a lot of joy to find out about what was happening behind the scenes and it gave him a fuller picture of all the people involved in his treatment. He felt empowered by the information and more at ease during his time in hospital.
Harvey passed away a year later. Malcolm was so touched by Harvey’s inquisitiveness and the positive effects of his laboratory tour that he created Harvey’s Gang in his memory, which today has become a multi-award-winning children’s charity at over 100 hospital sites across the UK. Thanks to Harvey’s Gang, hundreds of young patients have overcome their fears of hospitals and needles and come to understand their healthcare by going on laboratory tours - receiving mini lab coats, goodie bags and a trainee scientist badge to wear; becoming part of the team.
IBMS involvement
With so many IBMS members working in laboratories and caring for patients like Harvey, we have been proud to support this charity and in 2018, the Institute donated £5000 to sponsor and produce the miniature lab coats for Harvey’s Gang patients.
IBMS members regularly fundraise for Harvey’s Gang by organising bake sales and events. For Biomedical Science Day last year, IBMS members in Belfast arranged a series of lunchtime talks.
IBMS member Giselle McKeown said,
“I was proud to be asked to give a lunchtime seminar on Harvey’s Gang as part of our programme based on ‘A patient I’ll never forget,’ which was well attended by a large number of staff and visitors. Following from this talk I have received a number of further enquiries about Harvey’s Gang tours.
A colleague and I have toured schools and colleges throughout Northern Ireland introducing Harvey’s Gang to our youngest audience (5-15yrs) through a number of interactive assemblies. The children can view a Harvey’s Gang tour, try on some lab coats and get to handle some ‘furry’ blood cells. The feedback from this has been overwhelming both from schools and from parents. From this success, we have more school visits booked!
On a personal note, this is one of the most rewarding projects I have had the pleasure to be involved in during my career.”
For Biomedical Science Day this year, IBMS member Una Porter used the funds she received from the Albert Norman fund to help promote Harvey’s Gang.
Latest tweets
Malcolm Robinson recently tweeted of the latest Harvey’s Gang tour:
£30.00 raised for #HarveysGang ???????????? Thank you Scott Rowan, Louise Frizzell and Tracey Maw @GreatNorthCH RVI Newcastle pic.twitter.com/8tWAXR2I44
— #HarveysGang 1169181 Founder. (@Laird_Admiral) 12 December 2019
How you can get involved
From starting at the lab at Worthing Hospital, Harvey’s Gang is now at over 100 sites in the UK with plans to create more across Europe and in the US. If you want to bring Harvey’s Gang to your hospital, contact the IBMS communications team.
This holiday season we encourage everyone to support Harvey’s Gang. To help you can donate, fundraise or spread the word about this charity and give a little something to help more sick young patients overcome their fears.
You can learn more about Harvey’s Gang here. You can donate to this charity or email the IBMS Communications team for information on how to bring Harvey’s Gang to your hospital .