Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity

Image Courtesy of RDMCC

Roald's Dahl Marvellous Children's Charity, also based in Great Missenden near the Roald Dahl Museum, was founded by Roald Dahl's widow Felicity in 1991.

Alongside being responsible for many great literary achievements, Dahl is also responsible for amazing work on the improvement care for neurology patients and brain conditions, especially with regards to swelling and brain fluid problems. Following a car crash with his baby pram, Roald Dahl's son Theo was left with a shattered skull. Theo developed "water on the brain", or, to give it its medical name, hydrocephalus. This is a condition that requires continual draining in order to survive. 

Seeing the impact this was having on Theo's quality of life, Dahl worked with hydraulic engineer Stanley Wade, and neurosurgeon Kenneth Till to design a mechanism working to help the brain and it's volume of fluid.
The full sciency story can be found here, but the tale has a happy ending as Theo celebrated the birth of his first daughter, Roald Dahl's granddaughter, in 2005. 

The Wade- Dahl- Till Valve is now one of many valves used daily in medicine.

Dahl's helping hand and passion for charity is now so much more then his invention. His charity, the Marvellous Children's Charity, works to employ nurses, careers, as well as offer grants and support to poorly children and their families.

As a small charity they make a huge difference. Please consider them next time you think about doing something Gloriumptious for charity, and let this fantastic, touching and much needed work continue.

Image Courtesy of RDMCC