About Keeping The Beat
Keeping The Beat is an appeal supported by Children’s Heart Surgery Fund to raise £500,000* towards a revolutionary children’s heart theatre, based at the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit, LGI. And we’re thrilled to announce that thanks you, our supporters, the target has been reached!
We have commemorated some key donors on our fundraising tree outside Ward 51, however, we’re hugely grateful to every individual, family, school, business and organisation who has contributed to this campaign! You can read more information on our target announcement blog.
The children’s heart theatre is one of its kind, bespoke to the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit and will be used for treating babies and children with congenital heart disease. It’s currently being constructed and will be open in February 2019.
* If you still have money to send in specifically for this campaign, there’s still plenty of equipment to buy so please contact us!
Why is it revolutionary?
This state-of-the-art “hybrid” facility will be used to treat babies and children with congenital heart disease (CHD) by delivering both open heart surgery, and heart procedures by cardiac catheter (keyhole surgery) in the same place.
Campaign Performance
ALL of our £500,000 goal has been raised! We simply couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you!
Last updated: 16/05/2018
What does it mean?
By supporting our appeal and helping Leeds to remain at the fore of specialist cardiac surgical facilities, you have ensured the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit will continue to provide excellent care, to all the babies and children for generations to come.
Over the appeal, Children’s Heart Surgery Fund’s focus was to support the new standards created by NHS England, which are now being implemented by each centre across the country. The children’s heart theatre is the biggest and most expensive standard amongst the 200 set out by the new review.
Thanks to the support of the Yorkshire people throughout the Save Our Surgery campaign we are proud to say Leeds is the fourth busiest unit in the country. Only Great Ormond Street, Birmingham and Royal Brompton carry out more procedures.
♥ Less invasive procedures ♥ Faster recovery ♥ Shorter waiting times ♥ Less post-operative pain ♥
What will the theatre be used for?
As well as open heart surgery, the children’s heart theatre will be used for delivering all minimally invasive heart procedures by cardiac catheter on babies and children with congenital heart disease. It includes a variety of procedures such as:
Diagnostic: Aimed at understanding heart problems
Interventional: Aimed at treating heart problems through a key hole procedure
Electrophysiology: Aimed at treating and understanding the heart’s rhythm
By having this new theatre available to our patients it means that imaging, cardiac catheterisation and surgery will come together in way that has never been possible before.