A humanitarian initiative committed to working towards providing life-saving medical care and support to children who are victims of the Middle East conflict, regardless of their nationality, religion, or ethnicity.
We aim to provide monthly updates on our progress at Project Pure Hope. Please tap the icons below to see our latest updates.
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has led to thousands of deaths and injuries of children in the context of strained healthcare systems in the region. Providing clearly defined access to short-term specialist care (e.g. for complex trauma, cancer treatment, or psychology therapy) in the UK to a small group of children will significantly improve outcomes and relieve tension on strained systems.
Our short term Objectives
are to deliver urgent medical attention to the most severe cases that we have identified - the initial £1million that we are currently fundraising for will be 100% allocated to travel via medically equipped aeroplanes, accommodation, specialist medical care and related expenses for the children and their guardians, including remote care by specialist UK hospitals where appropriate.
Our medium term Objectives
are to progress our active dialogue with the Government to try and unlock funding through diplomatic channels, government match funding, and to activate the foundations and charities that have expressed a desire to provide a sustainable funding pathway.
Our longer term Objectives
are to establish a legacy through Project Pure Hope, to enable children severely affected by any future conflict to be able to leverage the pathways and resources that we are establishing today.
Project Pure Hope is a humanitarian initiative founded by a group of senior doctors and healthcare leaders who are deeply concerned about the plight of children affected by the Middle East conflict. They are committed to providing life-saving medical care and support to victims of this conflict, regardless of their nationality, religion, or ethnicity.
Project Pure Hope is working with local and international partners to transfer children requiring complex treatment and care to the UK. This initiative is important as some of these children require specialist, multidisciplinary medical treatment which is available in the UK but currently unavailable in the region. It will also deliver remote services/telemedicine to the hospitals and clinics that are struggling to cope with the overwhelming needs in the region.
We have designed a pathway that will engage relevant stakeholders and will follow a multidisciplinary, patient centred approach. The stakeholders who will be involved are:
We are grateful for the support and active engagement we have had by multiple leaders and organizations across the NHS including leading hospitals in London and nationally, expressing commitment and interest in being part of this initiative. We believe that between this multifaceted group we will be well placed to offer support for any child’s physical and mental health needs.
We are also actively engaging in parallel with The NHS Emergency Preparedness, Resilience, Response (NHS EPRR) team; and are working to secure additional support from NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care.
This project is being coordinated by a group of NHS Consultants who are collaborating with various organizations in the UK and abroad. The multidisciplinary team are working together to identify and prioritize the children who have the most urgent/complex need and are eligible for our help and assistance.
Our goal is to raise at least £1,000,000. This will be used to directly support the health and wellbeing needs of affected children, who we are able to bring to the UK for urgent and necessary treatment.
We cannot succeed at Project Pure Hope without you. We need your help in achieving our fundraising goal to cover the costs of travel, accommodation, medical care, and other expenses for the children and their guardians. This is a matter of life and death. Please join us in this urgent and noble cause. Our charity partners, UCLH Charity, are operating a 100% donation policy for Project Pure Hope, and if you are a UK taxpayer, your donation may qualify for Gift Aid – adding 25p for every £1 donated at no charge to you.
Save the Children have said that 100 children on average have been killed every day during the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. We have seen horrific injuries and trauma amongst the children. They need urgent and specialized care that can only be provided by some of the leading centres in the UK.
The UK has a long history of providing refuge and medical support to vulnerable children in conflicts.
Most recently, the UK enabled the transfer and treatment of children requiring medical treatment as a consequence of the war in Ukraine in 2022.
21 Ukrainian children with cancer were brought to receive care through the NHS in England (alongside members of their family); which was itself part of the government’s wider humanitarian response to the Ukraine conflict, with more than 650,000 medical items being delivered to Ukraine. At the time, this required a multi-agency collaboration across the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Transport, Home Office, and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to facilitate the transfer of the children from Poland to the UK.
We also note the significant and impactful action the UK took to supporting Malala Yousafzai at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham after she was injured by the Taliban in 2012.
With regards to this conflict, numerous countries around the world have offered capacity within their medical systems given the unprecedented number of injured children in the conflict. France has recently offered specialized care and transfer for 50 children. Italy and the Netherlands have also offered the same.
Creating a safe pathway for children from both Palestine and Israel who are affected by the Middle East conflict to receive urgent and necessary medical treatment in the UK, such as trauma support, cancer therapies, and psychological support.
Offering high-quality specialized medical care to children, affected by the conflict, in specialized institutions in the UK, supported by (but not funded through) the NHS.
Ensuring the costs are covered through private funding (charities, private family offices, individual sponsors) and to explore the possibility of governmental support through the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), if they agree to launch an appeal based on their criteria.
Providing comprehensive logistical support throughout the process, from triage and transfer to the UK, to safe interventions and return to a place of safety.
Prioritizing the delivery of medical and psychosocial treatment and support to the children who have the most severe and urgent needs.
We acknowledge the need for multi-agency collaboration across the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Transport, Home Office, and the FCDO to enable the transfer of the children, as has been done previously for the war in Ukraine.
To establish a safe route for children affected by the conflict in the Middle East (both from Palestine, and from Israel) to access urgent and necessary medical treatment in the UK (eg trauma support, cancer therapies, and psychological support):
Identify suitable cases through on-the-ground partners and local clinicians as per the criteria above.
Our on-the-ground partners have extensive experience and have already assisted with the safe evacuation of patients for treatment in the conflict. These logistics would be enhanced by the assistance of British embassies in the region.
Review suitability for care in the UK via an online medical multidisciplinary team (MDT) forum to include paediatric surgeons, plastic surgeons, general surgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, oncologists, physicians, radiologists and physiotherapists. The MDT forum will review relevant medical history, treatment and diagnostic tests. They will then decide on suitability for transfer and the treatment plan in the UK. This process will be patient-centered and collaborative to ensure the best possible outcome for the child. The MDT forum will include:
Liaison with the relevant country foreign office, home office and NGO teams to arrange necessary paperwork, transfer and plan for return. These teams will liaise with each other on every case to ensure legal obligations across all relevant jurisdictions are met.
Liaison across all the stakeholders above to ensure safe transfer. Critical care transport team to have support from:
The aim will be to provide well-defined specialized medical care to children affected by the conflict in specialized institutions in the UK, supported by (but not funded through) the NHS. Focus on delivering medical, psychosocial treatment and support:
As well as medical needs, consideration of interpreting needs, psychosocial needs, housing needs for relatives and the child as appropriate.
Ongoing liaison with relevant jurisdictions to ensure safe return of children after treatment as per UN guidelines and domestic and international law.
We have prepared a few case studies to provide context to the urgent needs of 1000s of children. These cases studies contain disturbing descriptions and imagery, viewers discretion is advised.
We will have an open and collaborative approach with a willingness to share legal resources and information with any partner organizations engaged in similar efforts. Raza Halim, of Garden Court Chambers is part of the Project Pure Hope steering committee. He specializes in refugee law and human rights.
This project is being coordinated by a group of NHS Consultants who are collaborating with various organizations in the UK and abroad. The multidisciplinary team are working together to identify and prioritize the children who have the most urgent/complex need and are eligible for our help and assistance.
We have designed a pathway that has engaged relevant stakeholders and will follow a multidisciplinary, patient centered approach. The stakeholders involved are:
Children with complex severe injuries requiring specialist treatment. Children will have received initial care within the local geography to ensure stabilization.
Children whose medical conditions require specialized attention, expertise, and resources beyond the standard capabilities of local healthcare facilities (in the Middle East region).
Cases where medical intervention is crucial to prevent further complications and disability.
Local healthcare infrastructure (within the conflict region/ Middle East) is insufficient or overwhelmed.
Children who have been relocated to safe areas outside the conflict zone, ensuring a secure environment for ongoing medical treatment and recovery.
Cases that have been thoroughly reviewed and approved by legal teams to ensure compliance with international laws and regulations governing the relocation of individuals for medical purposes.
Collaboration with internationally recognized and established humanitarian organizations with on-the-ground teams to assist with identification of cases, medical assessment needs and visa support.
Cases where specialized medical care is likely to result in significant improvement in the child's health, well-being, and overall quality of life.
Any children deemed suitable for transfer must have a legal guardian in order to be suitable for transfer to the UK. Legal considerations will likely include having a Standard Visitor visa, a family permit, a visa waiver or an electronic travel authorizations (for both child/ and care giver); and providing evidence of the medical condition, the treatment plan, the cost and duration of the treatment, and the financial means to pay for it. In addition we recognize the need for enhanced DBS checks for child-minders and childcare workers who may look after the children during their stay in the UK.
Intention to return children to a place of physical and psychological safety where they can continue their rehabilitation (likely within the wider Middle East / GCC region which will be established on a case by case basis, and planned for as part of the assessment and triage process). Transfer and return of children after treatment will adhere to UN guidelines, domestic and international law.
This initiative will not be reliant on NHS support. The costs associated with treating children identified through this project are being covered by charities, family offices, and private funders who have generously donated to this noble cause. See below about how to donate.
There are two ways to donate. Tap the Donate Online button above to launch our JustGiving page, which provides a fast online donation portal and collects Gift Aid declarations. Alternatively, complete the short Contact Form below and we can send you our partner charity's bank details to make a bank transfer.
Donations are open to all and will only be used to cover costs directly related to the treatment and rehabilitation of the children. Funds will be used to support the children’s care in the UK (where possible), and when required: to offer expert advice and support remotely or face-to-face. Project Pure Hope team members are working pro bono, and the hospitals will do their work at cost.
Funds are held by UCLH Charity with an agreed management protocol. UCLH Charity are operating a 100% donation policy - so all funds raised will only be used for the costs associated with the treatment and rehabilitation of the children.
We welcome donations, endorsement and support of this project.
If you would like to donate to Project Pure Hope, please visit our JustGiving page, or you can complete our contact form and we can provide our partner charity bank details and Gift Aid form.
If you have any queries or suggestions, please complete our short contact form and a member of Project Pure Hope will respond to you.
