Kalimat Foundation brings the joy of reading to young patients at Great Ormond Street Hospital
The Kalimat Foundation, led by Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, visited a world leading children’s hospital, delivering one hundred books to support the education and emotional wellbeing of children and young people in hospital.
Her Highness distributed Arabic and English language books to patients from across the world, including many from the United Arab Emirates and across the Middle East, who are currently receiving life changing care at GOSH International and Private Care.
The books are part of an initiative by the Foundation called The ‘Pledge a Library’ programme, which aims to enhance the hospital experience for young patients through portable libraries. Each portable library includes 100 carefully selected books designed to provide comfort, cultural connection, and emotional support for children receiving treatment thousands of kilometres from home.
Her Highness, who is Founder and Chairperson of the Foundation, also visited The Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children. This state-of-the-art research institution was made possible by a £60 million gift in 2014 from Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, wife of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the United Arab Emirates.
The delegation was welcomed by Mr Matthew Shaw, Chief Executive of GOSH and Professor Claire Booth, Professor in Gene Therapy at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and Consultant in Paediatric Immunology at GOSH, who led a tour of the research facilities. Mr Shaw and Professor Booth highlighted the pioneering work taking place at the Zayed Centre for Research, which brings together innovative research and clinical care under one roof. This world first centre drives forward new treatments and cures for seriously ill children from across the UK and international patients.
Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Founder and Chairperson of the Kalimat Foundation, said:
“We believe stories have the power to heal and connect. Through the Pledge a Library initiative, Kalimat Foundation seeks to give children hope when they need it the most. In a place focused on healing the body, stories help heal the heart and mind. We hope these books offer a moment of calm and joy during a difficult time.”
Mr Matthew Shaw, Chief Executive of Great Ormond Street Hospital, said:
“We are deeply grateful to the Kalimat Foundation for this generous gesture. Reading sparks imagination and creativity, and providing holistic care- including supporting education and play - is so important to us at GOSH. We want to ensure that children and young people who are in hospital, away from home, don’t miss out on these essential parts of growing up.
“The partnership reflects our shared commitment to improving the experience of children and families from the Middle East and around the world who come to GOSH for life-changing care.”
The visit reinforces the long-standing relationship between GOSH, UCL, and Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, whose generous support made the creation of the Zayed Centre for Research possible. Since opening in 2019, the Zayed Centre for Research has hosted more than 89,000 patient appointments and delivered world-first breakthroughs in gene therapy, genomics, and paediatric medicine — transforming lives and offering hope to children worldwide.
