Support for families: February 2026

During the month of February…

• 50 families worked with overall

• 26 families received a tailored packaged of Family Support

• 24 families engaged with

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• 17 young people and their families worked with and supported

• 22 Travel Grants given
• 8 attended Cardiac Cafe
• 27 Supermarket Vouchers given
• 3 Exceptional Grants given

Heart Month

Sharing Food Together
57 portions of food were provided by CHSF for families and staff in the hospital observing Ramadan. We teamed up with another local charity, Candlelighters, who provided craft activities and water for the event. A big thank you to Tharavadu and Mowgli for donating food to this event.

Unique Ways Coffee Morning
We had the wonderful opportunity to attend a Cardiac Cafe in partnership with Unique Ways in Halifax. It’s fantastic to see other services mirroring the Cardiac Cafe model having seeing the value of these and what they mean to heart families.

Working together
A big thank you to fellow heart charity Take Heart for supporting the family of a baby on Ward L51 with accommodation. When Mum was told that Dad could no longer use the room due to them been transferred to the main ward, Mum was very upset as Dad had stood by her side since the birth and Mum was finding the thought of being alone overwhelming.

Mum had struggled to come to terms with what they had missed out on as a family since baby was born and the three of them being together at the hospital was the one thing she didn’t want to lose. The support of Take Heart meant that Mum could hold on to her little family when she needed it most and for that we are truly grateful.

Crafting & Connections
Wakefield Youth & SEN Cardiac Cafe

Last month we hosted a half term Cardiac Cafe in Wakefield. This event was targeted at Youth and families who had a child with additional needs.

We sat and did crafts – creating decorations and friendship bracelets for families on ward 51. Parents had a great time sharing their experiences and building peer connections over a brew.

The venue also had a playroom available for families with smaller children to play in a ‘normal’ environment.

The Family Support team attended the ward a total of 131 times this month, offering their tailored support to families.

This support has included completing grant applications, supporting with DLA and providing well being materials and activities.

These visits are also essential when a family is not present. The Family Support team have left leaflets and information for families to read when they have the time.

How is Family Support making a tangible difference to families?

Birthday photos
This month CHSF provided a long term inpatient family with a photo session for their child’s 1st birthday. This was such a positive experience for the family and provided them with photos they will cherish.

Sibling activity
We provided a long term inpatient family with a bowling trip. This gave mum the opportunity to step away from the ward and spend some quality time with her older child, helping maintain family relationships.

Emergency hospital transfer
A family was transferred as an emergency from Bradford Royal Infirmary (BRI) to LGI. The Family Support team were able to liaise with the ward at BRI and arrange a taxi for the family’s belongings to be returned to them.

121 Youth Support
Lu has spent time on the wards offering 121 sessions for young people. This has included working with a young person to create Wear Red Day friendship bracelets for the team on the ward.

Transition Clinic
Transition Clinic happens every two weeks. Lu was able to attend and support a young person and her mum through navigating transitioning to a new school and signposting to other support services.

CHSF leading the way with our inclusive and tailored family support.

“I do apologise; I think I chose the wrong option when filling out the application form as we’re not on the ward.

“I’m not sure if we’re eligible for support from CHSF as we’re not from Leeds, however I still applied as options are so limited in Wales and I couldn’t find any charity that could help.”

Children’s Heart Surgery Fund is leading the way with an inclusive, tailored family support service that reaches far beyond traditional boundaries. While many charities are restricted by location, diagnosis stage or hospital admission, CHSF is recognised for meeting families where they are; wellbeing, practically and geographically.

The message from a family in Wales (above) powerfully illustrates just how unique this service is. Families are not simply accessing a grant or a one-off intervention; they are seeking the holistic, compassionate and specialist support that CHSF has become known for.

The fact that families turn to CHSF when they feel they have nowhere else to turn speaks volumes about the reputation, inclusivity and impact of the CHSF Family Support team

It’s only with the help of our incredible supporters that we can continue to be there for every family that needs us. Thank you.