Sophie Winkleman has visited the Evelina London Children's Hospital, where Princess Kate serves as patron.
The wife of Lord Frederick Windsor, who himself is the son of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, was there to highlight innovative ultrasound vein finder technology donated by the Children's Surgery Foundation.
The device represents a significant advancement in paediatric care, making medical procedures less distressing for young patients.
Sophie, who serves as Royal Patron of the charity, appeared visibly moved whilst holding Bertie in the hospital's paediatric surgical ward, which operates under the patronage of the Princess of Wales.
Sophie Winkleman visited a children's hospital supported by Princess Kate.
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The actress, known for her roles in Sanditon and Wonka, embraced 13-month-old patient Bertie Melly during the visit.
Bertie's medical journey has been extraordinarily challenging since his premature arrival at just 24 weeks.
Weighing only 745g at birth, he has required intensive medical intervention throughout his young life.
The infant has undergone five abdominal surgeries and remains hospitalised more than a year later.
The Princess of Wales has been a patron of Evelina London Children's Hospital since December 2018.
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His nutritional needs are met through an intravenous line, as his medical condition prevents normal feeding.
The complexity of Bertie's care exemplifies why the new ultrasound technology proves so valuable.
For children requiring long-term hospital treatment, repeated procedures involving needle insertion can become particularly distressing for both patients and their families.
Sophie explained the profound impact these devices have on paediatric care.
Sophie is the wife of Lord Frederick Windsor, the son of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.
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"Very sick children often have to have cannulas put in place for blood tests, fluids and medication during their treatment, and this can be traumatising," she said.
"Children have tiny veins so inserting tubes or taking blood can be very tricky and time-consuming.
"The ultrasound vein finders locate the vein instantly, which makes inserting cannulas much less scary for small children and less distressing for their parents," Sophie added.
The actress issued an urgent appeal: "I wish more than anything that every paediatric surgical ward in the country had several of these, but they are very expensive, and each one has to be painstakingly fundraised for."
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Kate has paid several visits to the children's hospital as part of her support for the institution.
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She urged public support for the Foundation's Beam campaign, which aims to raise £1million to ensure all units receive this equipment.
The technology transforms what can be a lengthy, painful process into a swift, precise procedure.
This reduction in trauma proves particularly crucial for children like Bertie who require frequent medical interventions.
The Children's Surgery Foundation faces a substantial financial challenge in its mission to equip every paediatric surgical ward with this technology.
Each vein finder costs between £5,000 and £40,000, with an additional £800,000 required for nationwide training, education and research programmes. Currently, the Foundation has provided devices to only three of the 26 paediatric surgical wards across the country.
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