Page 14 - CHSF #BecauseOfYou Magazine

14 Children’s Heart Surgery Fund

2 Support
A Patient

Journey 1 Detection
Mike Fresson
Children’s Cardiac Nurse Specialist
The LCHU is made up of several Jan Forster “We support the
linking departments which help Consultant Cardiac
CHD patients and
facilitate a typical patient journey Sonographer their families across
- from detection to surgery, our region from fetal
“An echocardiogram
intensive care to outpatients. diagnosis through
(echo) uses high
childhood, and the
frequency sound adult team support
Because of You, these vital services waves to assess
through adulthood.
have the latest equipment and the structure and Your donations help
facilities, and both patients and function of the heart. fund the equipment
their families have state-of-the-art we rely on daily - for
Echocardiography
care along the way from specialist i s p e r h a p s t h e instance, the distraction toys and stickers we
use in our clinics and the INR (blood-testing)
nurses and psychology. most mportant
i
machines that patients can use at home.
investigative
Because of You, we can attend meetings and
technique used in the routine, day-to-day
conferences around the country. CHSF entirely
management of congenital heart disease for
funds the LCHU online pages – we are one
all ages - from antenatal detection, throughout
of the only units to have our own dedicated
childhood to adulthood.
website - covering fetal to adult care.
The technology involved in the technique has
CHSF provides the resources we use to support
dramatically improved over the years. Nowadays
the families - from financial support for extremely
the information obtained means that there is
long stay patients, to the parent accommodation.
less requirement for invasive investigations such
You also funded the book Katie Bear Goes to
as cardiac catheterisation. We can also now
Hospital, which is given to every patient due
obtain additional 3D echo images of your
to have open heart surgery
heart which can help in planning procedures
– which has proved a huge
on your heart.
help to families too.
The department has been supported by CHSF
With your help, we are able
and supporters for many years providing
to provide the holistic, family-
specialist echo equipment and probes which has
centred support we have
enabled us to have state of the art equipment
today, and it will remain for
and excellent diagnostic confidence. With
the years to come. Thank
your continued support we aim to continue to
you CHSF for all you do,
provide the best diagnostic echo images for
and happy birthday!”
all our patients.”