Boyzlife didn’t just visit… they sang, danced, and lifted spirits
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Boyzlife didn’t just visit… they sang, danced, and lifted spirits

Updated: April 23rd, 2025

Ward 3 staff with Brian McFadden and Keith Duffy Brian McFadden Great North Children's Hospital with Giraffe in window

We were absolutely thrilled to welcome Brian McFadden and Keith Duffy from BoyzLife to Ward 3 at the Great North Children’s Hospital and they didn’t just visit… they sang, danced, and lifted spirits in the most beautiful way.

Ward 3, known to many as the “Bubble Ward”, is where children with life-threatening immune conditions or certain blood cancers are cared for in a highly protected environment. It’s a place filled with bravery, resilience, and love — and on Saturday, it was filled with laughter too.

Brian, who’s been our amazing Charity President for nearly a decade, has stood by the Bubble Foundation for over 20 years. So it was extra special to see him, alongside Keith, singing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” and sharing giggles with some of our young patients. One of them, seven-year-old Jasper, who travelled all the way from Swansea for a life-saving bone marrow transplant, even had a dance-off with the pair! His mum Sophie said:

“Amidst some of the most challenging and abnormal moments, he has danced his way through transplant, while being cared for, supported and embraced by the incredible team on the Bubble Ward.”

After their visit, Brian and Keith headed to the Glasshouse in Gateshead for the next leg of their world tour — but not before giving our ward and our wonderful supporters a huge shout-out from the stage, met with a roar of applause.

Brian said:

“As a dad myself, I can’t imagine how tough it would be to receive such a serious diagnosis and have your world fall apart in the blink of an eye. The families of the little superheroes we met today are away from their homes and loved ones, so any bit of joy we can give them is an absolute honour.”

Since 1992, the Bubble Foundation has been by the side of children with rare immune conditions — funding cutting-edge treatment, parent support, and research to help little ones survive and thrive. Our new Fundraising Manager, Joy Dyson, added:

“We’re so grateful to Brian and Keith for bringing light and laughter to the ward. We’ve got big plans this year — including a fresh new look, our World PI Week campaign, and the return of our Steptember300,000-step challenge. We’d love for you to join us.”

Together, we can help more little superheroes bounce back. 💙