Making a Difference for the RVI

£4,100 raised.

4,000+ miles travelled.

102 bunny teddies donated.

One beautiful legacy.

The Millie Rose Foundation is incredibly proud to share that we have successfully raised an amazing £4,100 for the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) / Great North Children’s Hospital, in memory of our beautiful Millie Rose. What started as a way of keeping Millie’s memory alive has grown into something so much bigger than we could ever have imagined, and this achievement means more to our family than words can truly express.

As part of our fundraising journey, we completed an incredible 4,000+ mile round trip from the North East to Benidorm and back. Our journey, Buddy’s Journey – To Benidorm and Back, took us through France, across the Pyrenees and into Spain, carrying Millie’s memory with us every single mile of the way. Travelling such a huge distance was challenging at times, but knowing we were doing it for Millie gave us the strength to keep going.

Millie’s beloved bunny teddy, Buddy, travelled with us throughout the entire journey. Buddy was such an important part of Millie’s life and was her special comfort teddy and little friend. Having Buddy with us made the journey feel even more personal, as though we were taking a little piece of Millie with us everywhere we went.

Returning to Benidorm was particularly emotional for our family because it is a place that holds incredibly special memories for us. Millie had previously holidayed there with us, and being back in a place where we had created so many happy memories together brought both smiles and tears. We were able to remember Millie as she was — happy, bubbly, loving and enjoying life with her family.

Throughout the journey, Makayla, Millie’s big sister, took on challenges of her own, helping to raise funds, spread awareness and keep Millie at the heart of everything we were doing. She wanted to do something that would make her little sister proud and help other children who may be facing some of the same difficult experiences Millie went through.

Alongside our fundraising, we have also collected 102 brand-new bunny teddies, which are now being donated to the RVI for children who may need a comforting friend while receiving treatment. This donation is especially meaningful to us because rabbits were one of Millie’s favourite things, and Buddy was her own special comfort teddy. We hope that these little bunnies will bring comfort, companionship and perhaps even a small smile to children and families going through incredibly difficult days.

The £4,100 has been raised through months of Team Millie fundraising activities, events, raffles, donations, fundraising products and challenges. Every pound represents somebody choosing to support Millie’s memory and help us make a difference. Behind that fundraising total are countless hours of work, planning, travelling, creating, organising and asking people to support what we were trying to achieve.

The RVI and Great North Children’s Hospital hold a very important place in Millie’s story. Being able to give something back to the hospital and the people who care for children and families during some of their hardest moments means so much to us. We know that our donation cannot change what happened to Millie, but we hope that it can help make a difference to someone else.

This fundraising forms part of the work of The Millie Rose Foundation, which was created in Millie’s memory to support children, families and bereaved families while creating a lasting legacy for our beautiful girl. We want Millie’s story to continue making a difference, and our hope is that everything we do through the Foundation will help bring comfort, support and hope to others.

Grandad Bill said, “All of this was done for you, Millie. Every mile we travelled, every penny we raised, every bunny teddy collected and every challenge we took on was for you. We miss you more than words could ever say, but we hope you’re looking down and seeing just how much love surrounds you. Your memory will live on through everything we do.”

Makayla said, “Everything we have done has been for my little sister, Millie. I wish she could have been here to see how far we have travelled and how much we have raised for the RVI. I took on my challenges because I wanted to do something to make her proud and to help other children who are going through what she went through. I miss her every single day, but I know she will always be a part of everything we do. I will keep helping to tell her story and keep her memory alive, because she is my little sister and I will always be proud of her.”

As Millie’s Mammy, there are no words to truly explain what this journey has meant to me. Losing my beautiful Millie has changed our lives forever, but I wanted to make sure that her life, her smile and her beautiful spirit continue to make a difference. Every mile we travelled, every penny we raised, every bunny teddy collected and every challenge Makayla took on was done in Millie’s memory.

The RVI became such an important part of Millie’s story, and being able to give something back to the hospital that cared for my little girl means more to me than I could ever put into words. I am so incredibly proud of what we have achieved, but most of all I am proud of my girls. Millie may not be here for me to hold, but she is with us in everything we do.

I will keep saying her name, telling her story and building her legacy for as long as I am able. My beautiful Millie Rose, this is all for you. I hope you’re looking down and know just how loved you are. I will love you forever, my beautiful girl.

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has donated, supported our fundraising, bought Team Millie products, taken part in our events, completed challenges, donated bunny teddies or simply shared Millie’s story. Every single act of kindness has helped us reach this moment, and we will never take that support for granted.

£4,100 raised. 4,000+ miles travelled. 102 bunny teddies donated. One beautiful legacy.

Everything we do is for Millie Rose. 💜🐰

Always remembered. Forever loved. Never forgotten.

The Millie Rose Foundation