Our 2026 Impact Report is here
The Difference You Make
Thank you for making an impact
2025-2026 was yet another fantastic year for our team and, of course, our amazing community of supporters. Together we raised a fantastic £4,529,000!
We want to tell you the stories of the projects you’ve brought to life, the people you have helped and the difference you have made for our patients, both now and in the future. On this page you’ll find just a few of the ways you’ve made a huge difference for our family of hospitals and beyond, from changing the future of breast cancer care to improving conditons for our very youngest patients.
Whether you have supported us through your school or work place, made a donation, organised your own fundraising activity, taken part in a sponsored event or volunteered your time, you have made a difference, and we are incredibly grateful.
THANK YOU!
3,781 people who donated
762 fundraising pages created
1,686 event attendees
In 2025, we talked to staff, fundraisers, patients and their families about the impact our Charity and the care they received at our Hospitals has had on them.
Here, we hear from Long-term Ventilated Educator at our children’s Hospital, Sam, about how the Youth Service has improved the wellbeing of patients.
We also hear from Prav, who found himself in in the ICU after contracting malaria, embarked on a marathon challenge in support of the team that cared for him in North Manchester General Hospital.
Zairah, a member of our own Charity team and life-long patient at our hospitals, talks about the difference we make for young people with her condition.
And of Hollyoaks fame, Kelly Condron shares her experience at our children’s Hospital with her son.
Our National Breast Imaging Academy at Wythenshawe Hospital is now open. Together we raised £3.9m through the Build to Beat Breast Cancer Appeal to make this happen.
The innovative training facility will:
- Expand imaging capacity to help more patients, faster
- Provide cutting-edge, hands-on training in a real clinical setting
- Create new, cost-effective career pathways into breast care
- Offer vital space for research and boost recruitment into clinical trials
- Enable us to care for 5,000 new patients and 8,000 additional follow-ups each year.
Thanks to our supporters, we are building a stronger future for breast cancer care, not just for patients here in Manchester, but for patients across the country.
Making a Difference for Breast Cancer Patients
Making A Difference for Children and Young People
We have provided two Rocket Scanners, one at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and one at Wythenshawe Hospital
Rocket Scanners are innovative, playful, rocket-shaped MRI-simulators designed to help children overcome the fear and anxiety associated with an MRI scan. By providing our hospitals with two Rocket Scanners, you have reduced distress and anxiety in the young children we care for and ensured that thousands of children can be scanned without feeling so frightened; thank you.
Our appeal was first championed by Gillian Bailey-Smith, Diagnostic Modality Lead for Manchester Royal Infirmary.
Gillian said:
“The Rocket Scanners let children see themselves as they are sat inside the scanner, as well as track their own progress for remaining still. The first experience of an MRI scan can shape how someone feels about scans for the rest of their life. If we can make that first experience positive, we can reduce trauma and the need for sedation, not just now but into adulthood.”
Making A Difference for Organ Transplant Recipients
We have funded an Abdominal Normothermic Regional Perfusion (ANRP) kit. This innovative technology in organ retrieval improves both patient quality of life and long-term transplant success.
Each year Manchester Royal Infirmary delivers up to 200 deceased donor kidney transplants. The equipment means the Renal Transplant Service can now use Normothermic Regional Perfusion technique for organ retrieval. This technique provides an oxygenated blood supply to organs in deceased donors, maintaining the organ quality and allowing organ function to be monitored.
This is completely transformative for patients, with reduced rates of delayed graft function, leading to shorter hospital stays, faster recovery and significantly improved clinical outcomes post-transplant.
Rory Brown, Senior Research Fellow says:
“ANRP can help to improve utilisation of kidneys and livers, expanding the donor pool and increasing access to transplantation. Optimising kidney utilisation is critical to reducing our transplant waiting list and improving patient outcomes.”
Staff are currently being trained to use this transformative equipment with the aim of launching the service this summer.
Kyle Tyrrell-Holm, Service Manager for Renal Transplant says:
“We are deeply grateful to the MFT charities team and supporters, whose generosity has made the procurement of this vital equipment possible, helping to drive innovation and improve the lives of patients awaiting transplantation.”
Making A Difference on our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Saint Mary’s cares for the poorliest babies and their families. Our dedicated, specialist teams make a real impact for families going through an incredibly challenging time.
Thanks to our amazing supporters we have been able to purchase The Baby Leo Incubator. This has an advanced heating system that uses three sources of heat, a heated mattress, overhead heater and traditional incubator heating, to help a baby’s body temperature to remain stable, even when the side is down or the hood is lifted. This means parents don’t have to worry about their baby’s temperature changing when cuddling, holding their babies’ hand or kissing them good night.
The in-built audio system lets parents record and create audio clips, such as their voices, heartbeat or music that they listened to during pregnancy, that can be played at a volume that is safe for the tiniest of ears and provides comfort especially when a baby is distressed.
The Baby Leo incubator was funded by the incredible fundraising efforts of Ric Moylan and his Charity Boxing Nights.
Ric said:
“I’m so pleased that the money we have raised has been used by the NICU team and they have been able to buy this fantastic piece of equipment that is going to make such a difference to babies and parents they are caring for.”
Making A Difference for Patients with Endocrine Conditions
Endocrine conditions affect the glands that produce and release hormones and include well-known conditions like diabetes and thyroid disorders.
Thanks to a generous legacy gift, we are supporting research into Endocrine Conditions by funding research nurses and technicians.
Dr Rachel Jennings, Honorary Consultant in Endocrinology says:
“Charity funding will make a real difference to our work as it will allow us to secure skilled nurses and technicians to deliver research projects. The goal of our research is to better understand why some people develop diabetes and identify new opportunities for earlier diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. This research has the potential to benefit people living with diabetes today, while also helping those at risk to reduce their chances of developing the condition in the future.”
Making A Difference for Children with Cancer
Ward 86 in Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital cares for children with cancer. Families spend long periods of time on the ward to be with their children as they bravely face their treatment.
We have funded 24 recliner chairs for the ward to support families to stay by their child’s side when they need it the most. Raenah was admitted to Ward 86 for over three weeks following a sudden diagnosis of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.
Her mum, Jemma along with Raenah’s dad, Liam and grandparents have appreciated the additional comfort of the recliner chairs to re-charge after long drives from Burnley to be with her. Thanks to our supporters, we are providing a little comfort for families like Raenah’s – an incredible difference to make.
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