Watch our full 2024 Christmas appeal video here.
Thanks to your donations Lucy McMahon has been in post for just over a year, and she’s made a huge difference to the lives and wellbeing of many patients on the cusp of adulthood.
Lucy wrote this blog to explore her journey over the last 12 months and what it means to be CHSF’s Youth Support Worker…
“Wow! what a year it’s been at Children’s Heart Surgery Fund (CHSF)! As I celebrate one year in the role of Family Support and Youth Worker, I’m taking a moment to reflect on the incredible journey I’ve been on.
“I’ve had the privilege to work alongside amazing children, young people, and their families, as well as building strong connections with the wonderful teams at both CHSF and Leeds Teaching Hospitals. While there are countless stories and milestones to share, I’d like to focus on some key highlights from this unforgettable year.
“One of my primary responsibilities this year has been to continue the outstanding family support service established by Sarah Cherry. A significant part of this work has been centred on Ward 51, as well as the neonatal and PICU wards.
Lucy is in CHSF’s Family Support team and her role has a special focus to support our teen patients during their CHD journey.
“It’s been an honour to collaborate with so many teams across the hospital, including the CCNS team, ward nurses, doctors, speech and language therapists, Play Specialists, psychologists, dietitians, physiotherapists, and countless others.
“A key initiative we introduced on Ward 51 was Wellbeing Wednesday, where corporate supporters have been invited to support in distributing wellbeing resources and activities for families. In addition, we continued to offer sibling packs, certificates and resources, along with tailored support for families during their time in the hospital. We’ve received positive feedback from families saying they look forward to a Wednesday afternoon, as they know that is when the treats are coming.
“Building relationships with the adult ward teams and clinical nurse specialists has allowed us to tailor our support to each family as they navigate this critical phase of care. A significant new initiative at CHSF this year has been providing support for young people transitioning to adult wards.
“This has been a central part of my role, allowing me to host one-to-one sessions, provide well-being resources, and maintain connections with young people as they transition from paediatric to adult services.
“A particularly heartwarming highlight was organizing personalized messages from Father Christmas for young patients with additional needs.
“One of the most exciting projects I worked on was the development of a Youth Hub on our website. We engaged with 14 young people to gather feedback on what they wanted to see on the site, ensuring it would be a valuable resource for them. “Collaborating with medical professionals and the CHSF team, we created a platform that young people can access for information and support, with plans to further expand it based on ongoing feedback.
“Another project I’m particularly proud of is the creation of the Youth Card. Through discussions with young people living with heart conditions, we developed a simple identity card that contains essential information about their condition. The card includes a QR code, which can be scanned to access the contact details of the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit and the relevant paediatric or adult teams.
“This resource, built in collaboration with young people, has already been rolled out in Leeds and is set to be distributed to peripheral clinics as well.
“As part of my role, I’ve had the chance to attend outpatient clinics, offering support to families as they move from hospital stays to regular clinic visits. I was also able to attend the first Transition Clinic at Leeds Congenital Heart Unit, providing a CHSF presence and helping families navigate the shift from paediatric to adult support.
“This year, CHSF hosted Cardiac Cafés across the region, including in Bradford, Grimsby, Doncaster, Sheffield, Hull, Scunthorpe and Leeds. These events have been a fantastic opportunity to engage with families who might not be able to attend events in Leeds, while also building peer support networks. Our 2025 Calendar is already available, please register here.
“A standout event was the Alpaca Walk we organized as part of one Cardiac Café.
“Young people and their families had the chance to meet cardiac nurse specialists and connect with one another in a relaxed setting.
“Transition has been a big theme in my work this year. I’ve had the opportunity to help young people who are transitioning between paediatric and adult services through events like the Fontan Transition Day and virtual Transition Evenings in collaboration with Leeds Congenital Heart Unit. These sessions offer families a chance to ask questions, meet medical professionals, and gain a clearer understanding of what the future holds.
“In addition to all the fantastic events and initiatives, we’ve also worked on broader projects such as our project with Barnardo’s on diversity and inclusion.
“We’ve developed resources for working with children and young people with additional needs, including the All About Me documents, which help personalise the support offered by CHSF.
“Reflecting on this year, it’s clear that the work we’re doing at CHSF is making a meaningful difference for children, young people, and their families. From hospital wards to community events, each initiative has provided opportunities for connection and support.
“I’m excited for the future – there are so many projects on the horizon, and I can’t wait
to continue building on the incredible work we’ve started. Here’s to another year of
empowering families and making sure they can access tailored support.”
We can keep being there for children, teenagers and young adults in the future if you can help grant this Christmas wish – to fund more hours for our Youth Support Worker.
Please visit our JustGiving page for our 2024 Appeal, and give what you can to help them with the challenges ahead! Thank you!
Watch our full Christmas Wishes Appeal video, featuring lots of familiar faces – including staff, patients and families! Thanks to everyone who got involved!
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