Sheffield children’s hospital has been lit up with a moon and stars display to mark the month of Ramadan

Sheffield Children’s Hospital has marked the Muslim holy month for the first time in this manner.

Each star adorning the hospital’s façade has been funded through donations from local families, charities, and businesses.

John Armstrong, the chief executive of the Children’s Hospital Charity, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “It is wonderful that we can engage and collaborate with the entire community across our region.”

Haroon Rashid, whose son Ayaan received treatment at the hospital before passing away at the age of five in 2023, noted that he had admired the hospital’s snowflake lights during Christmas and had always wished for a similar display for Ramadan.

Alongside his daughter, who has also been a patient at the hospital for 14 years, Mr. Rashid has actively participated in the campaign to secure sponsors over the past six weeks.

They have distributed leaflets to local businesses in Sheffield to promote the initiative. Additionally, Mr. Rashid mentioned that he has sponsored a star in memory of Ayaan. “He was a delightful little boy, always cheerful and full of life, despite the challenges he faced—much like his sister,” he remarked. “The best way to describe both of them is that, regardless of the difficulties they encountered, they always wore a broad smile.”

Mr. Rashid emphasized that the Ramadan lights at the hospital would provide an opportunity for those who cared for his son “to witness that light and take a moment for reflection.”