Children’s Heart Surgery Fund (CHSF) is the charity which supports the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit (LCHU), the 19 cardiac clinics across the Yorkshire and The Humber, and the 17,000+ patients who live with CHD in our region, from babies right through to adults.
CHSF fundraise for what the NHS cannot provide, including cutting edge equipment and advanced training opportunities for clinicians, and hospital enhancements to create a positive experience for patients and their families attending for treatment.
CHSF also delivers a crucial Family Support Service which covers emotional, and practical support for children and their families – with financial support which is focussed on those who struggle with the additional costs of hospital stays.
Since January this year, the cost-of-living crisis has severely affected heart families. Double the number of families have required help financially with travel, food, and essentials such as toiletries, and have needed free accommodation from CHSF whilst their child undergoes heart surgery.
High child-poverty blights Yorkshire with most areas seeing 32-34% of children in poverty. In Asian communities this percentage increases, with 53% of Bangladeshi and 48% of Pakistani children living in poverty in our region.
24% of the patients that the charity supports on the heart ward are from Asian communities, a high proportion diagnosed with very complex heart defects. CHSF have recognised their struggle to fully engage with many South Asian families due to cultural, and sometimes language, barriers.
CHSF needs to be able to offer a more culturally tailored family service and so need our help raising funds to recruit a new member of the Family Support team – a full time, multi-lingual BAME Community Support Worker, who will better meet the needs of the families the Charity is there to support.
Can you help me and my team raise £40,000 to fund a new BAME Support Worker for Children’s Heart Surgery Fund?
On 1st October, we will trek from Saltaire to Leeds City Centre along the canal and our team will be made up of all ages and abilities.
To reach our fundraising goal, we need YOUR DONATIONS. Please help!
* Charities pay a small fee for our service. Find out how much it is and what we do for it.
