Kind-hearted siblings spread festive cheer in Tooting
Siblings Isabella and Alessandro visited our paediatric patients to spread festive cheer and give presents for the second Christmas in a row!
Isabella and Alessandro, the children of one of our nurses, visited the paediatric playroom on Saturday 7 December to donate pyjamas and socks that they sourced themselves from friends, family and their mum’s colleagues using a heartfelt poster plea to help our children patients this Christmas.
The poster, made by Isabella, says “imagine a child who’s poorly and have no choice but to stay in hospital this Christmas. If they have to, it would be nice if they will be wearing brand new, cosy pyjamas or socks!”
“We would appreciate if you can donate a brand new pair of pyjamas or socks, for newborn to 16 years old, boys or girls. Myself and my brother will collect them so we can distribute them before Christmas to St George’s Hospital.”
Isabella and Alessandro then gave them out to children on our wards after Isabella played some festive music on her clarinet.
The pair also used their own pocket money to be able to give our paediatric patients sweets too. Sainsbury’s Tooting were so touched by their desire to help the children on our wards that they also contributed to their sweets donation.
That’s not all though – the Lorusso siblings became local heroes recently when they heard of a local shop whose Christmas tree had been stolen.
They took it into their own hands to write to the store along with their pocket money to buy a new tree this Christmas. The letter was shared on social media and seen by hundreds of people with the children being praised for their selflessness and generosity!
Mum Edi said: “Alessandro came home from school saying that people had been thanking him for his letter – it wasn’t until later on when we saw social media that we realised it was the letter that he and Isabella had written to the store with their pocket money to cheer them up!”
She added: “They are both very thoughtful and always wanting to help other people by making them happy – they’re often doing things like this!”
She’s not wrong – Isabella and Alessandro visited our paediatric play room last Christmas in 2018 with musical cheer and gifts too. Isabella also donated all her birthday presents when she turned nine years old to the paediatric patients at St George’s as she wanted to do something to “put a smile on their faces”.
Hayley Gilburt, Senior Play Specialist at St George’s, said: “Isabella and her brother Alessandro’s thoughtfulness is greatly appreciated by our patients and their families at Christmas time. Their kindness brings many smiles and Isabella’s musical talent is amazing. Thank so much for caring about our children and young people here at St George’s.”
Huge thank you to Isabella and Alessandro for being such super stars – Merry Christmas to the Lorusso family!
