Leeds Rhinos Foundation and Rhinos players Brett Ferres and Mitch Achurch have given their support to a new campaign to raise money for a revolutionary children’s heart theatre, based at the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit, LGI.
Keeping The Beat is an appeal supported by Children’s Heart Surgery Fund CHSF, who are looking to raise £500,000 for the children’s heart theatre, which is one of its kind and bespoke to the Leeds. The theatre will be used for treating babies and children with congenital heart disease.
Donators have already pledged £1.25 million towards this fantastic project, however, they need more donors' help to ensure it happens. Money raised through Keeping The Beat campaign will go directly to supporting the 10,000 babies and children that pass through the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit each year, covering the whole of the Yorkshire region and beyond.
Speaking about his support for the campaign Rhinos player Brett Ferres said: “I am pleased to be supporting the Keeping The Beat campaign. Every pound raised will go towards ensuring the LGI are able to build a heart theatre that will help children and babies with heart disease across Yorkshire. This theatre will have an important legacy for the future care of children in our region and I wish them success with their campaign.”
Over the next two years, Children’s Heart Surgery Fund’s focus is to support the new standards created by NHS England, which are now being implemented by each centre across the country. The children’s heart theatre is the biggest and most expensive standard amongst the 200 set out by the new review.
Thanks to the support of the Yorkshire people throughout the hospital’s Save Our Surgery campaign, Leeds is now the fourth busiest unit in the country. Only Great Ormond Street, Birmingham and Royal Brompton carry out more procedures.
By supporting the appeal and helping Leeds to remain at the fore of specialist cardiac surgical facilities, donors will ensure the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit continues to provide excellent care, to all the babies and children for generations to come.
More information and donate online at chsf.org.uk/keeping the beat
To donate to the campaign text BEAT02 £10 to 70070