Hospital ward to honour young cancer patient opens

Southampton Children's Hospital opened Robbie's Rehab with the help of Robbie's dad, Mark (centre)

The memory of a young cancer patient who set up a fundraising charity has been honoured with a specialist rehabilitation ward.

Robbie Keville, 10, died from a brain tumour in 2016 - five years after his mother Kate died of breast cancer.

In tribute to the former Southampton Children's Hospital (SCH) patient, a specialist ward for children with brain injuries has been opened in the building.

Robbie's father, Mark, said he and Robbie's siblings were "overwhelmed" by the fundraising support to create Robbie's Rehab.

The ward consists of four beds dedicated to children with complex medical needs.

Robbie Keville launched a fundraising charity after his mum died of breast cancer and before he died from a brain tumour

Robbie first became ill when he was seven years old and Mr Keville said: "Kids just like him will have somewhere to go in the hospital where they're not sitting between one kid with tonsillitis, another with a broken leg in a noisy children's ward.

"They'll have their own safe space to recover before they go home."

His father and older siblings, Harry and Lara have continued the charity Robbie set up in his honour.

With support from the children's hospital, a dedicated fund was set up in his name, which has since evolved to help other youngsters with neurological conditions.

Robbie, 10, died in 2016 and his family has continued to raise money in his name for Southampton Children's Hospital

Mr Keville added: "At the centre of this fundraising mission has been a human story.

"A little boy, not long after he lost his mum, to be told he's got the same thing - cancer - was what really got everybody gathering in and raising money for this cause.

"If he saw today this ward actually with his name above the door, he'd be absolutely delighted."

'Wonderful legacy'

As well as the ward, fundraising in Robbie's name has paid for a dedicated room children can use as a quiet space for rehab like speech and language therapy and psychology sessions.

Georgina Bird-Lieberman, consultant neurologist at SCH, said Robbie's Rehab was "critical" to the quality of care they provide.

"Lack of space with dedicated facilities has limited the range of rehab activities we are able to provide on the wards.

"There is no imaginable way we would have been able to make this happen without the extraordinary generosity of the Keville family and all their donors.

"This incredible new space will make such a positive impact to our patients and will be a wonderful legacy for Robbie."