Donations help Leeds Hospitals Charity provide £25,000 donation to Eckersley House

The house on Belmont Grove, Woodhouse has been managed by Jane McHale for nearly 15 years.

The grant will be used towards funding of her role, the charity said.

Eckersley House is one of ten ‘Homes from Home’ run by national charity The Sick Children’s Trust, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, the charity has needed additional support to keep Eckersley House open.

One family who used the home said it "really helped" during a difficult time.

They said: "Throughout [our daughter's] treatment and recovery at Leeds General Infirmary we were supported by Eckersley House.

"It’s a ‘Home from Home’ run by The Sick Children’s Trust and it was extremely useful as it meant we did not have to be far away from her.

"If we needed to be there, we could.

"The kindness shown to us by giving us a place to stay really helped us while our baby was in hospital.

"When we do come back for her next surgeries we feel reassured knowing there is somewhere to stay nearby at Eckersley House.

"It makes it easy for us as we don’t have to commute and can be there for Luna.

"If I couldn’t be by her side I would be miserable and worry."

The family described the home as a space where "you can rest together".

"It’s not been easy, but the amount of support we have received from The Sick Children’s Trust, the hospital and also our friends and family has been overwhelming and we appreciate every single thing we have been given", the family said.

"While we watch our beautiful, adorable, amazing daughter make progress everyday, it really helps just knowing that there are people around for support."

The home has 22 family bedrooms, eight bathrooms and direct telephone lines to hospital wards in all bedrooms, as well as three communal kitchens, living rooms and two play rooms.

Despite the pandemic, Eckersley House supported 69 families of young heart patients between July 2020 and June 2021.

In addition to supporting families with children on the heart unit, Eckersley House accommodates families of patients with all sorts of serious illness, and in a typical year houses up to 500 families.

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