This festive season, join us in making a real difference to the lives of children in Northern Ireland living with congenital heart disease. Why not do your bit in a festive knit and host a Jolly Jumper Day?
Gather your friends, family or colleagues and put on your best (or worst!) Christmas jumper anytime in November or December. Simply donate to take part or add on a bake sale or festive raffle. Whatever gets you in the festive mood!
Sign up today HERE and help little hearts like Annie’s this Christmas.
Little Annie McIlrath from Kilrea was diagnosed antenatally with a complex heart condition, called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome where the left side of her heart hadn’t developed properly.
To date Annie has had two open heart surgeries. Her first at just six days old and a second at almost eight months. Between her surgeries Annie remained a long-term patient for seven months and spent her first Christmas in hospital. Throughout her journey Annie and her family were supported by Children’s Heartbeat Trust.
You can watch Annie’s story HERE.
“Children’s Heartbeat Trust were a huge support to us throughout my pregnancy and the whole time we spent in hospital. Our Family Support Officer Jennifer was always at the other end of the phone and visited us weekly without fail. Being told Annie would be staying as a long-term inpatient was devastating and you wonder where you will find the strength to keep going. I knew when Jennifer came to visit the ward, we had made it another week, and we were another week closer to getting Annie home. Jennifer will probably never know how much her chats and banter got me through such a heart-breaking time in our lives.
It can be a very isolating time, and our family and friends helped us a lot but none of them could relate to our situation. We received wonderful practical, emotional and financial support. We couldn’t have got through it without them.
This year, we are so thankful to have Annie home for Christmas. We’ll never forget how Children’s Heartbeat Trust helped us get here.”
Annie’s mum, Alana
When you sign up, you’ll receive everything you need to get started including a festive fundraising pack and we can provide you with additional fundraising materials on request.
Sign up today HERE and help little hearts this Christmas.
During November and December, we’ll be by the side of over 144 families like Annie’s, offering crucial support at home and in hospital through our dedicated family support team.
Your festive fundraising efforts will raise much needed funds to help us continue our vital services for local children like Annie.
