As the backdrop for the BAFTA winning series 24 Hours in A&E, St Georges is now opening their doors to the Fetal Medicine Unit in Channel 4’s new series ‘Baby Surgeons: Delivering Miracles’. 

The documentary follows obstetrician Professor Basky Thilaganathan and his team as they work to save the lives of unborn babies with complex medical conditions. 

In one moving episode, Professor Thilaganathan was seen helping parents Becky and Richard, who were told that their baby had no chance of surviving.  At Becky’s nineteen week scan, baby Annie was showing signs of congenital heart failure due to pressures from a congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation of the lung. In simpler terms, this meant that Annie had a tumour on her lung the size of a malteaser. 

Owing to developments in medicine, Professor Thilaganathan was able to complete a non-invasive operation immediately on Becky and Annie by placing a tube near the mass, and feeding a laser through it, to zap and kill a rogue blood vessel.

Remarkably, despite the parents being told that Annie’s heart could stop at any time, the procedure was successful and Becky gave birth to Annie several months later, with no signs of the surgery she had undergone before she was born.

This is, yet again, proof of what amazing talent and humanity we have here in Tooting.

It was a pleasure to get out on the doorstep with our Greater London Authority candidate for South London, Candice Atterton, today!

Alongside Candice and Ruth Cadbury MP for Brentford and Isleworth, it was a privilege to visit Hounslow Youth Counselling Service. The post-pandemic recovery must have young people at its heart, so it was fantastic to spend the morning hearing about the great work taking place in Hounslow to support and champion young people’s mental health. 

With her background in youth work and youth justice, Candice is determined to focus on support and opportunities for young people. 

I have no doubt that she will be a great addition to Mayor Sadiq Khan’s Labour Team in City Hall!

The Bike Project - a wonderful local charity which supplies refugees with old, unloved, and abandoned bicycles – is looking for someone to provide a new Tooting drop-off point.

A drop-off point is a place where local residents can leave their unwanted bikes to be collected by the charity, who repairs them before they are donated to refugees and asylum seekers. With just £37.75 a week to live on, these bikes can make an enormous difference to the lives of refugees.

If you are able to volunteer a space to act as a new drop-off point in our area, or to arrange a time to donate a bike, email Julia from The Bike Project at [email protected].

​We have been blessed with wonderful sunshine throughout this week, which has undoubtedly brought out the best of our surroundings here in Tooting.

Working in St George’s Hospital, I know what a real difference the green spaces in the grounds make to patients, visitors and staff alike. I would therefore like to express my sincere thanks to the hospital gardening team, in particular their Head of Gardening, John Greco, who have put their all into this wonderful display of spring blooms for us all to enjoy.

The bright array of tulips and blossom trees will no doubt be a great comfort to what is an often anxious time for patients and visitors to the hospital. Thank you team!

​Following on from the BBC’s successful documentary in March last year, ‘Stacey Dooley: On The Psych Ward’, Stacey Dooley returned to Springfield in a moving programme aired on Tuesday (13th April 2021).

Stacey Dooley: Back On The Psych Ward follows the dedicated mental health professionals working on the frontline at Springfield, as well as a number of brave patients who came forward to share their experiences of life at Springfield during lockdown.

I am always exceptionally proud of everyone working in mental health across the country. As both the Shadow Minister for Mental Health and Member of Parliament for Tooting, I remain committed to ensuring that local mental health services receive the funding they deserve.

​Today Muslims across the UK and around the world mark the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.

As a proud Muslim, the period of reflection, prayer, and fasting is incredibly important to our Muslim community. 

Traditionally, Ramadan is a time for gathering and sharing Iftar with family and friends. Although, like last year, we are unable to come together and celebrate as we normally would, the spirit of Ramadan remains. 

To every Muslim nurse and doctor who have saved countless lives throughout this pandemic, to every volunteer and community leader in our Mosques and community centres who continue to support those most vulnerable, and to every Muslim in Tooting and across the country, I wish you all Ramadan Mubarak. 

With the easing of Government restrictions, The Share Community are seeking volunteer befrienders to help local residents with learning disabilities get back out into the community.

Share is a registered charity with a site in Tooting providing support to adults with learning disabilities and/or autism. Their befriending project matches people with similar interests to go for walks, bike rides, or coffee.

Befriending is incredibly rewarding, providing companionship to those who are socially isolated and regular contact with a friendly face outside their usual circle.

I am told that reliability and being a good listener are the only prerequisites to be a volunteer befriender.
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If this sounds like you, Share would love to hear from you! Click here to find out more.

​Here in South West London, over half a million residents have received their first vaccine dose so far! 

Although this is a pivotal milestone, the percentage of vaccinated persons still remains lower among all ethnic minority groups compared with the White British population. 

I recognise that many within the BAME community may be unfamiliar with vaccines and feel unsure. However, I can assure you that the vaccines have all been rigorously tested and declared safe by doctors around the world.

I continue to urge everyone eligible to book their vaccine appointment as soon as possible.

The sooner the vaccine is rolled out, the sooner we can begin to rebuild.

Together we can do this.

Tooting Women’s Institute is looking for new members of all ages and backgrounds to join them in their monthly activities and events.

Meeting on the second Wednesday of each month, this wonderful organisation provides a place for members to learn new skills, meet others in the community, discuss topical issues, and share interests.

Previous sessions have involved everything from career mentoring and coding, to craftivism and calligraphy, while a variety of smaller groups meet to engage in more niche interests, including a supper club, which visits a new restaurant in Tooting each month, a book club, and a craft club, to name a few.

Click here for more information.