Yorkshire charity donates £40k to Children's Heart Surgery Fund as revolutionary facility developed in Leeds

Children’s Heart Surgery Fund (CHSF) said it was thrilled to announce a £41,628 donation from Yorkshire Children’s Hospital Fund (YCHF) towards the new development.

The money has supported the purchase of state-of-the-art theatre equipment which will be used during life-saving procedures on young congenital heart patients from our region.

CHSF chief executive Sharon Coyle said it would help medics deliver specialist care to babies and children for generations.

She said: “One of the aims of the new 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 across the region to buy essential medical and emergency equipment for children’s services.

Representatives from the charity visited the hospital in Leeds earlier this month to present the cheque and see how the money will benefit patients.

Trustee Jo Ropner, who is also a Deputy Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, 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.“

CHSF has pledged £1.25m towards the theatre project, while supporters have raised most of a further £500,000 target via the 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.

It will allow less invasive procedures, faster recoveries and shorter waiting times.

The new theatre is of critical importance to both the health of congenital heart disease patients in the region and the integrity of Leeds General Infirmary.

The hospital needs it in order to fulfil the clinical standards set nationally by NHS England.

The service is expected to open for its first patients in February 2019.

In the meantime, any contributions from key donors are being celebrated on a donation tree mural just outside Ward 51.