Page 13 - CHSF #BecauseOfYou Magazine

#becauseofyou 30th anniversary 13

f “Because of You, parent accommodation has “Because of You, the whole Paediatric Cardiac
always provided huge respite for our heart Specialty, has moved on tremendously.
the Matter
families. From the bungalow at Killingbeck I have worked as a nurse on the Cardiac ICU
in the old days to Eckersley House and the for many years and can remember in the early
Brotherton accommodation at LGI, it has days how we admitted children and adults
meant they don’t have to travel many miles on to the same unit after surgery.
every day to support their children and gives
e does tired parents a place to gather their energy. Some of you will remember Katie’s Kabin
which raised money for the charity and sold
our money The ward had a family atmosphere when I hand knitted cardigans, home baking and
keyrings alongside bits of rubble which we
first started, and it still has to this day. Nurses
o? Debbie Smith can support families from diagnosis through were told had been part of the Berlin Wall! Beverley Robinson
to discharge but the only people that truly
Children’s Cardiac Ward know how parents feel are other families. We always wondered Clinical Educator, PICU,
Sister HDU and Cardiology
about the rubble…!
CHSF provides the means for families to come together and gain support CHSF merchandise
from one and other, whether that’s meeting up at fundraising events or has moved on too!
supporting each other on the CHSF Facebook page.
Today, I am a Clinical Educator for PICU and Cardiology
I would also like to pay tribute to the play specialists, Emma so I liaise regularly with the charity to request help in
and Gemma - whose jobs are to support CHD children and the training and education of nurses.
their heart families by providing distracting and normalising
play opportunities on the ward to help them all cope with CHSF enables staff to attend relevant conferences and
e absolutely crucial to help CHD what is going to happen. Facilities funded thanks to you, just this year Leeds PICU has been represented both
amilies and the LCHU itself. We often such as interactive TVs, arts and crafts and the resident fish nationally and internationally thanks to the financial
erms of the heart, mind, family tank help to keep families and their children both distracted support it has offered. Thank you.”
eas which often overlap – but here’s and engaged.”
om some of the clinical staff at
the heart of the LCHU.

Donate to Children’s Heart Surgery Fund online at chsf.org.uk

Scan me and
We do everything we can to support families practically Techniques and technologies are constantly
and financially during their child’s hospital stay. We changing, so we make sure we are always aware help us!
award grants for travel expenses to ease the financial of what’s happening next in the world of CHD by
burden of travelling across Yorkshire to visit a child, funding training, and a small amount of research
and fund accommodation close to the hospital. positions and projects. Or please call us on 0113 831 4810