Bukhman Philanthropies has pledged £560,000 to support neonatal care at St Mary's Hospital and Queen Charlotte's & Chelsea Hospital, part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. The funding will help specialist teams care for babies born extremely prematurely or with complex medical needs, and support their families through some of the most difficult days of their lives.
On Tuesday 15 September 2026, Daria Bukhman, Co-Founder and Chair of Bukhman Philanthropies, visited St Mary's Hospital to meet the neonatal team and celebrate our continued partnership. Together, we are investing in state-of-the-art equipment, staff education and professional development, so that neonatal teams have what they need to care for the smallest and most vulnerable patients.
The pledge will fund a range of specialist equipment across both hospitals. This includes a paediatric retinal imaging system to help clinicians detect retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), an eye disease that affects premature babies. Early detection and treatment can help prevent lifelong visual impairment.
The funding will also provide three advanced neonatal ventilators, which deliver highly precise respiratory support for critically ill babies. They adapt to changes in lung function and allow gentler ventilation, reducing the risk of long-term lung injury. New patient monitoring systems will continuously track vital signs, helping clinicians respond quickly when a baby's condition changes.
Our support will also strengthen the safe storage and management of breast milk. New specialist freezers and a digital milk management system will ensure every donation is stored safely and can be tracked from the moment it is donated to the moment it is fed to a baby.
Alongside the new equipment, Bukhman Philanthropies will fund a dedicated education and development programme for neonatal staff. Nurses and medical staff will have access to specialist training, simulation-based learning, communication coaching and professional development, building skills, confidence and resilience across the teams.
Daria Bukhman said: "Meeting the neonatal team at St Mary's was a humbling reminder of what extraordinary care looks like. Every day, these nurses, doctors and specialists support babies at the very start of their lives, and families at their most frightening moments.
"We want to make sure they have the best possible equipment and the training to use it with confidence. Investing in the people behind the care matters just as much as the machines, and we're proud to continue our partnership with Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust to give every baby the strongest possible start."
Dr Aniko Deierl, Consultant and Head of Neonatology at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said: "We are incredibly grateful to Bukhman Philanthropies for this generous and continued commitment to our neonatal services. This funding will make a real difference, giving our staff access to the specialist equipment, training and development they need to provide the highest quality care for babies and their families."
We would like to thank Dr Deierl and the neonatal teams at St Mary's and Queen Charlotte's & Chelsea for welcoming us, and for the remarkable care they provide every day.
Image (Left to right): Beena Mathew, Susan Quach, Daria Bukhman, Gail Scott-Spicer, Dr Aniko Deierl and Aida Burke at St Mary’s Hospital.