A good pirate
Johnny Depp has given £1 million to Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital for saving his daughter’s life last year. In March 2007 Lily-Rose contracted E-coli poisoning and her kidneys failed. It was touch and go for nine days, but she pulled through.
I have always thought that one of the best things about being really rich must be being able to come up with grand gestures like this one. But Johnny has done even more than give money which, let’s face it, is easy if you have lots of it. He also had his Captain Jack Sparrow costume flown over from LA and spent four hours reading bedtime stories to the hospitalised children.
Disney, which made the Pirates Of The Caribbean films, has donated £10million to Great Ormond Street, which needs to raise £170million in five years to re-develop two-thirds of the hospital site.
I wonder why people spend money helping donkeys (however sweet they are) in Greece and other far-flung places when there are causes like this one to support.
Anyway, hats off to Johnny, I always liked him. Although one might argue that a hospital like Great Ormond Street should not have to rely on the kindness of pirates.
Copyright: Helena Frith Powell 2008
16 Jan 2008 helena
I agree its a shame they have to rely on donations to some extent. They used to get the royalties from Peter Pan (left by JM Barrie) but it is not in copyright any more, I think. That’s the reason they no longer have the income.
It is wonderful hospital, my daughter had a nine-hour long open heart surgery there when she was just 16 weeks old. I can’t begin to describe how scary and devastating it was for us, but she and we got through it. Now she is four years old, and more or less fine. If I had millions of pounds I wouldn’t hesitate to give it to Gt Ormond St (and Alder Hey where she has also had surgery), because they gave us our daughter back. Without the cardiac team there, she would not have survived to five months old, let alone four years.
Hoorah for Johnny Depp!
Denise
PS I enjoy reading your blog and I’m looking forward to the new book!
I agree that a hospital should not have to rely on donations and fund raising. That we can do for the donkeys. But this seems to be a particularly British thing. I never understood why one pays taxes in UK as most public services have to rely on the generosity of people. I look forward to the day when the schools and the hospitals will be getting all the funding they need and the navy will have to hold a cake sale to raise money for a submarine. Another observation to make is that most people with money are usually stingy, so Johnny is indeed a good example.
Hi Denise
Thanks for your comment, I’m so glad your daughter is fine now, I can’t imagine what you must have been through.
Hx
Actually Peter Pan is the only book out of copyright still to have it’s royalties continue to go to the hospital.
I thought Disney did the dirty on the royalties from the film though… vis a vis GOS… might be wrong though…
Hi Helena,
I agree that Johnny has done a wonderful thing supporting the Great Ormond Street Hospital. However there are other needy charities throughout the world in equal need of support.
I have witnessed first hand the suffering of neglected and abused donkeys, horses and cats and dogs. It is truly heart breaking that the sole cause of these animals suffering is the cruelty of humans. I do not believe that charities that support these animals are any less worthy than children’s hospitals. Denise, I am glad that your daughter is doing well.
Kaylee
Donkey charities get millions in donations every year…maybe it’s because they always look so sad.
I once worked for an organisation helping deafblind children and I remember my Director saying ‘Only when every deafblind child has access to services and education will I give to a donkey charity!’ I would say that goes for any other charity/children’s hospital.
It would be nice to think that there is room in this world for everyone, including animals, but I’m afraid many charities continue to struggle, particularly the ‘unfashionable’ disability charities.