Children’s Heart Surgery Fund (CHSF) are thrilled to announce a highly significant donation from Yorkshire Children’s Hospital Fund (YCHF) towards the upcoming revolutionary children’s heart theatre at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI).
YCHF have contributed an incredible £41,628, which has allowed CHSF to purchase state-of-the-art theatre equipment for future life-saving procedures on young congenital heart patients from our region.
Sharon Coyle, CEO of CHSF said:
“The leading-edge equipment provided by YCHF’s huge donation will help deliver specialist care to babies and children with congenital heart disease for generations to come.”
“One of the aims of the new children’s heart theatre is to achieve a faster recovery time for patients and YCHF’s contribution will provide some of the advanced technology necessary to accomplish that vision.”
YCHF, based in Bedale, North Yorkshire, was established in 1989 to help hospitals in the Yorkshire region purchase essential medical and emergency equipment for children's services.
YCHF Trustee, Mrs Jo Ropner DL said:
“For us to have visited the Congenital Heart Unit at LGI and actually see where the money is going brings it all into focus once again, as to how vital this equipment is and its far reaching benefits throughout all of Yorkshire’s sick children.“
“The dedication of the staff is incredible in dealing with these very poorly children, making it all the more worthwhile to have donated this equipment.”
CHSF themselves have already pledged £1.25 million towards the theatre project, and their supporters have raised the majority of a further £500,000 target as part of their Keeping The Beat campaign.
The cardiac “hybrid” facility will allow surgeons and cardiologists to work at the same time which means the skills of both specialists can be employed together.
This will allow less invasive procedures, faster recoveries and shorter waiting times.
Tracy Massey, Deputy Manager of the Clinical Perfusion Team which has requested specific equipment for the new theatre, added:
“We’re so pleased CHSF, the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit and the hybrid theatre have been given this amazing grant.”
“Thanks to YCHF, this means we will have the latest equipment available to us to treat more babies and children in the future.”
The new theatre is of critical importance to both the health of congenital heart disease patients in the region, and the integrity of the hospital which needs the new theatre to fulfil clinical standards set by NHS England.
To celebrate the contributions key donors have made, CHSF funded a donation tree mural in the corridor just outside Ward 51 - the children’s heart ward at LGI.
YCHF trustees Countess Peel, Mrs Louise Sampson, Dr Anne-Marie Childs and Mrs Jo Ropner visited the mural on February 15 to present the cheque in person.
Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust has started work on building the new theatre development, which also includes an intra-operative MRI facility, and the service is expected to open to patients in February 2019.
Children's Heart Surgery Fund
B Floor, Brotherton Wing, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds
LS1 3EX
0113 3925742
[email protected]