You not only raised significant donations for CHSF in and around February for Heart Month, but with your help we communicated our cause loud and clear to every corner of the region through your stories!

Here’s a round-up of just some of the blogs and local news which helped raise awareness and donations in the past few weeks…

Finley was the face of the Wear Red Day fundraising pack this year. Mum Tamra describes how he was rushed straight to Scarborough’s Special Care Baby Unit with a suspected infection at birth, and then immediately blue-lighted to the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit (LCHU).

Read the full story here.

Alessia Mae is fast approaching her first birthday, but at birth she was sent urgently to her local hospital as she was critically low on oxygen and had open heart surgery at just a day old in Leeds.

This was reported in the Bradford Telegraph and Argus and on our blog here.

Three-year old Zak’s condition was found by complete coincidence as reported in The York Press, but they found forever friends in CHSF and Katie Bear during his treatment.

Mum Olivia explains on our blog here.

And 17-year old Alfie’s family found out he had congenital heart disease (CHD) when he was just 2 months old. Following multiple procedures, Alfie is now enjoying life both as a teenager and keen LUFC supporter.

Mum Kirsty tells us on our blog here.

When Luca was born, mum Emma and dad Michael discovered he had a very loud heart murmur. The day after, they were transferred from Jimmy’s to the Leeds Children’s Hospital for a heart scan. It was then when they received the congenital heart disease (CHD) diagnosis.

Read more here.

Bradford-based adult patient Louise had open heart surgery aged 7 at Killingbeck Hospital. Now 41, Louise celebrated her 40th year by completing an enviable set of running fundraisers for CHSF in 2024!

Read all about it on our blog here.

And CHSF supporter Grant – dad to heart hero Joseph – is taking part in our 15,000ft Skydive to thank “all the people who played a part in saving my son’s life”.

Find out more here.

We also had numerous other local press stories because of you, including the following families…

We can’t thank you all enough for helping us reach local audiences and spreading our message!

You can still make a donation for Wear Red Day and Heart Month!

Your donation will do so much for our region’s life-saving heart unit, it’s patients and their families.

Got fundraising to pay in? Go to chsf.org.uk/wear-red-day/#payingin to see ways you can get your money to us!

Thank you again – you’re all inc-RED-ible!

Millie

Millie

Millie's story so farwritten by mum Emma   At my 20 week scan we heard the dreaded news “I can see an issue with the heart”. At that moment our whole world came crashing down and my thoughts straight away were, “Will she be ok?”, “What will happen now?” and “Why...

Warrior Wednesday: Abel

Warrior Wednesday: Abel

"The support we received from CHSF as well as all the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit staff meant so much to us. We are truly grateful to this wonderful charity."written by mum Jessica Our son Abel was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot after our 20-week anomaly scan...

Wear red for REGGIE

Wear red for REGGIE

"Without Children’s Heart Surgery Fund, Reggie wouldn't be here." Michelle, Reggie's mumWritten by Reggie's mum, Michelle Reggie was born on the 1st September 2016 with a palliative congenital heart disease called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Although you might...