Radio Lollipop volunteer and President, Hedley Finn, has been made an OBE (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for global services to supporting children in hospital and his work across healthcare in the UK, it was announced today in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for 2020.
Hedley was awarded the MBE for service to charity in the Queens New Year’s Honours List in 1992.
His latest honour is in recognition of the successful international growth of the Radio Lollipop cand his work to support Radio Lollipop services in 36 hospitals, across five countries. Radio Lollipop and the amazing volunteer teams have now reached over10 million children and their families in hospital, around the world over the last 40 years.
“I am so humbled and grateful to be awarded this prestigious honour which I graciously accept on behalf of our dedicated volunteers past and present, and the hundreds of thousands of children who bravely face needles, stitches, surgeries and cancer treatments every year.”
“It is such an amazing privilege to have my role and to make a difference in the lives of sick children and their families.
As a volunteer from the very beginning, Hedley has dedicated his life to growing and expanding the charity’s service internationally with the aim of reaching every sick child in hospital.
Radio Lollipop currently has over 1,600, trained volunteers working worldwide to brighten the hospital stay for many sick children and their families.
Now an award-wining, volunteer-run and managed charity, Hedley has led the development of an operating model that has had the flexibility to adapt to local environments and to changes in healthcare and technology.
“Hospitalisation can be an extremely isolating and traumatic experience for children who often won’t understand why they are there or what is happening to them. And, it is equally traumatic for the parents and siblings of the sick child,” Mr Finn said.
“We work with children who are experiencing life changing or life limiting issues and illness, and for some, end of life care, and we work to ‘normalise’ and support their emotional well-being by providing a voice and a choice for these children.”
“For more than 40 years, our volunteers have empowered hospitalised children in a day that is often far from normal. They can’t choose what or when to eat or whether or not to take their medicine; but they can choose their favourite song or which game they would like to play.”
“We know that our unique combination of music, play and engagement has a profoundly positive benefit in the healing and recovery of sick children. Helping to make the hospitalised child feel important, involved and significant as part of a wider team, can be a huge boost for so many sick children. I have had the great privilege of witnessing this first hand, time and time again year after year.”
Hedley Finn and Radio Lollipop Volunteers