Telethon gets $2.2m, Kidman donates

On the phones, Nicole Kidman and Jesinta Campbell at the 2012 Gold Week Telethon supporting the Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick. Brad Hunter Source: The Daily Telegraph

Tricky Business stars, Gigi Edgley, Kip Gamblin and Sophie Hensser...at the 2012 Gold Week Telethon supporting the Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick. Filmed at Channel 9' studio's, Willoughby. Picture: Brad Hunter Source: The Daily Telegraph

Hosts, Karl Stefanovic and Lisa Wilkinson...at the 2012 Gold Week Telethon supporting the Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick. Filmed at Channel 9's Willoughby Studio's Picture: Brad Hunter Source: The Daily Telegraph

Hosts, Karl Stefanovic and Lisa Wilkinson...at the 2012 Gold Week Telethon supporting the Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick. Filmed at Channel 9 Studio's, Willoughby Picture: Brad Hunter Source: The Daily Telegraph

• Children's Hospital telethon raises over $2.2 million
• Hospital ambassador Kidman hit the phones, and donated
• Kidman movie to be filmed in Ipswich

TH! E Sydney Children's Hospital has just reached its target of $2.2 million in donations for the annual Gold Week telethon.

A $100,000 donation from special guest Nicole Kidman helped smash the target at about 3.30pm this afternoon.

Kidman, an ambassador for the hospital, said she had visited the Randwick centre several times and was always astounded at the strength show by its young patients.

"They are fighting so hard and their families are fighting to keep their family together," she said.

The morning has included performances from former Australian Idol stars Ricki-Lee Coulter and Damien Leith, who said the hospital needed all the support Sydney could muster.

"I have done a lot of work with the Sydney Children's Hospital over the last six years so I have got to see first hand all the work that they do and they really need to keep it going - it's an incredible hospital," Leith told the Daily Telegraph.

"And I'm a dad as well, if something happened to my kids I'd like to know that there was enough money to keep things going."

A string of celebrities and sporting stars have spent the morning manning the phones including Olympians Geoff Huegill and Melinda Gainsford-Taylor as well as television personalities Catriona Rowntree and Gigi Edgley.

Tricky Business star Kip Gamblin said those ringing in to pledge donations had been very generous.

"It's great to be able to support people in need," he said.

They do so much good work at the hospital.

"Both my kids have been in there at some stage and the staff were just great."

High praise that doesn't sit well with the humble Helen Bullot, the head nurse of the babies and toddlers ward at Sydney Children's Hospital.

She's been doing this job for 27 years. It is as much a testament to Ms Bullot's dedication as it is to the working environment that has kept her coming back day after day.

"The hospital is at the forefront of care for children, such a comfort when you are ca! ring for a sick child, but I have also been fortunate to work with some great doctors and nurses," Ms Bullot said.

Ms Bullot and her team are just one of the reasons the hospital is calling for donations.

To make a donation call 1800 644 336.