One of America’s most famous and beloved talk show hosts has given a “transformational” Christmas gift to the sick children of Scotland in the form of six-figure donation to the ARCHIE Foundation – the official charity of the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital.
Scotsman Craig Ferguson, who just last year completed his ten-year run as the host of hugely successful “The Late Late Show” for US television network CBS, has given a what is believed to be a six figure sum as a gift to ARCHIE.
The enormous cash injection will be used to support the development of the Foresterhill hospital’s High Dependence Unit, which will soon be renamed the Ferguson Critical Care Unit in his honour.
Glasgow-born Mr Ferguson has also recently been awarded an Emmy for Outstanding Game Show Host in his starring role in the syndicated American show “Celebrity Name Game”.
A long-standing promoter of Scotland in the States, Mr Ferguson made the enormous donation as a show of support for his home country.
And it is hoped that this initial gift will be just the beginning of the talk show star’s ongoing campaign of support for sick youngsters across the north-east of Scotland, Highlands, Orkney and Shetland.
Mr Ferguson said: “It is a practical way for us to show our love, gratitude and appreciation for the people of Scotland. We hope this is the first of many such gestures.”
The ARCHIE Foundation has been a partner of the American-Scottish Foundation for a number of years, which endeavours to promote business and cultural links between the two countries.
David Cunningham, the chief executive of the ARCHIE Foundation, said: “Donations such as this are transformational and will make a huge difference to the care we can offer and the environment in which it is given here at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital.
“It is also hugely exciting for everyone involved to have such high profile support, it has been a great boost to morale in the run-up to Christmas.”
Camilla Hellman, the executive director of the American-Scottish Foundation, helped to connect Mr Ferguson and his family with ARCHIE.
She said: “We have greatly enjoyed working with the ARCHIE Foundation over the last few years, learning about he tremendous difference they make for sick children in Scotland, and we were extremely pleased to be able to connect a member of our diaspora with a good cause in Scotland and hope to support their on-going relationship for the benefit of people in Scotland.”