Molly helps raise £2k for Trust

The McCullough family from Carnmoney recently held a fundraising night at the Annex Bar, Belfast in aid of the local children’s charity. Nancy McCullough and her daughter Jodie decided to hold the event in aid of the charity who supported Jodie’s 11-month-old daughter Molly after she was diagnosed with heart disease. The Children’s Heartbeat Trust provides emotional and practical support to babies, children and young people with heart disease, and their families. The night raised an impressive £2,000 for the charity and the McCullough family have thanked everyone who attended the event or made a generous donation to the cause. Lynn Cowan of Children’s Heartbeat Trust said: “We are extremely grateful to Molly’s family in raising this incredible amount of money for Children’s Heartbeat Trust. This will help us continue to provide support for parents and families of children who have been diagnosed with heart disease in Northern Ireland.” Congenital heart disease is the most common birth defect in Northern Ireland with on average 200 children per year born with one or more conditions. Roughly one third of these children will require open heart surgery or other interventional procedures. The Children’s Heartbeat Trust work closely with Clark Clinic at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, funding top quality medical equipment, initiatives and research to ensure that children with heart disease in Northern Ireland receive the best care and treatment possible. A central aim of the charity is to provide family support and the charity works to ensure that each child and family receives the support and information that they need. The charity manages 15 family support groups across Northern Ireland, providing continuous advice and support for families with sick children as well as parents of those who have recently been diagnosed. They also provide counselling services, a teens’ programme, family fun days out and parent accommodation at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children. For further information log on to www.childrensheartbeattrust.org