Yorkshire turned red this year with support from all across the region’s press
This year marked the 10th anniversary since Wear Red Day was created in February 2012. With your help, we asked press from all across Yorkshire – and further afield – to help us celebrate the occasion. And they didn’t disappoint!
News spread from Leeds, Halifax and Bradford all the way down to Kent and Devon about Children’s Heart Surgery Fund, congenital heart disease and our tremendous heart community. Here’s a round-up of the online stories YOU created to help us raise vital funds.
The mum of 17-week old Charlie urged everyone to support Wear Red Day with this story. Charlotte Hillyard praised the “truly amazing” care of the cardiac team at Leeds Children’s Hospital and urged people to fundraise and “wear red” in their honour.
About CHSF, Charlotte said: “There is constantly an ear to listen if you need it and we know that if there was anything we needed, someone would be on hand to help us in any way possible.”
Story by Joanna Wardill at Yorkshire Evening Post
Heart hero Luca is a pupil at St Oswald’s Primary School in Guiseley, and his mum Lindsay and reception class teacher Katy Miller were inspired to organise a Wear Red Day fundraiser for Children’s Heart Surgery Fund.
Lindsay said: “The help and the support we have felt as a family right from Luca’s first operation at eight days old to the introduction to other heart families going through their own heart nightmare from the CHSF is amazing.”
Story by Daniel Sheridan at The Yorkshire Evening Post
Savannah was in intensive care for several weeks and wasn’t allowed home until she was three months old.
Savannah Simpson-Grant is now approaching her second birthday thanks to the “wonderful” work of CHSF says mum Fran. Her pregnancy was fraught with worry after she was told by specialists that her daughter had developed congenital heart disease and a number of serious issues.
Fran said: “As a family Wear Red Day is so important to us to help raise vital funds and awareness for the congenital heart disease (CHD) community. Almost 1 in 100 babies are born with CHD and awareness is so little – we need to make it known.”
Read the full story at Leeds Live
Leigha-Mae
Max
Evelyn
Leigha-Mae Stones, aged six, from Newbold, was diagnosed at birth with multiple heart conditions including a hole in the heart. She had to undergo two surgeries at the LCHU, the last of which was open heart surgery in August 2021.
Read Leigha-Mae’s story in The Derbyshire Times
Max, aged two, who lives in Hipperholme, had open heart surgery at just four weeks old. His condition of Truncus Arteriosus was diagnosed following an anomaly at Amy’s 20 week scan, and the family were referred to the LGI.
Read Max’s story in The Halifax Courier
Fellow heart hero Evelyn has had three major heart operations – at four weeks old, seven months old and five years old. Her most recent surgery was in February 2020.
Read Evelyn’s story in The Bradford Telegraph & Argus
George was born with a heart condition called Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA), meaning his heart’s main arteries were the wrong way around. Mum Keren spoke about the difficult moments she and George spent isolated and away from the rest of their family during the pandemic while he was being treated.
Read about George at The Huddersfield Examiner
And last but not least, two Harrogate pupils – Henry and Alex – encouraged people at their local school to wear red in support of CHSF. Both boys are firm friends, and have done so well in raising awareness and funds for charity!
Read about Henry and Alex at The Harrogate Advertiser
Wear Red Day is over for another year and what a day we had celebrating with you all!
Don’t forget to share photos of your Wear Red Day fun with us on social media, using the hashtag #WearRedDay or email your photos to us at info@chsf.org.uk.
Still need to pay in your Wear Red Day fundraising? Click here
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