THE Morrisons Foundation has given nearly £90,000 to enable Leeds Children’s Hospital to buy a state-of-the-art heart-lung machine.

The vital piece of equipment temporarily takes over the function of the heart and lungs during surgery on children with heart issues and will be used by Leeds General Infirmary for many years to come.

The Bradford-based supermarket's charity supported Children’s Heart Surgery Fund, a charity that provides invaluable support to the work of the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit, its patients and families.

The foundation gave a £87,649 donation.

The machine will help children and young people breathe while they are undergoing open heart surgery at Leeds Children’s Hospital.

Andrew Nichols, Clinical Perfusion Manager at Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust, said: “I would like to say a big thank you to Morrisons Foundation for their generous grant which allowed us to buy a bespoke heart-lung machine for the new hybrid children’s heart theatre.

“The equipment has a small footprint and is portable, enabling us to transport the patient and the machine together to the intensive care unit. It also has unique features designed to make it less invasive to the patient and enables it to be used for a longer duration. This is making a huge difference to the way we are able to treat young heart patients from across Yorkshire during heart surgery.”

Martyn Jones, Chair of the Morrisons Foundation Trustee Board, recently visited Leeds Children’s Hospital to see the heart-lung machine.

He said: “It’s fantastic to have the opportunity to meet the passionate team here who speak so enthusiastically about the machine and the number of successful heart operations that it has supported. We are delighted to support this great charity.”

Sharon Milner, CEO at Children’s Heart Surgery Fund, said: “We are thrilled to have received such incredible support from the Morrisons Foundation towards this vital and worthwhile project. The immediate impact this piece of revolutionary equipment has had in the heart unit is extraordinary.

"Supplying this kind of equipment moves the Heart Unit service forward exponentially. We are so grateful for the support of all those who supported us with such generosity and foresight.”

The Morrisons Foundation was set up by Morrisons supermarket in 2015 and awards grants for charity projects which help improve people’s lives. Since launching over £28 million has been donated to hundreds of charities across England, Scotland and Wales. Local charities are encouraged to visit www.morrisonsfoundation.com.

Children’s Heart Surgery Fund was founded in 1988. Since then, we have awarded around £7 million in grants to the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit, its patients and their families, as well as funding important research proposals. The charity’s mission is to support the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit in becoming a world class centre of excellence – by providing the funding and resources needed to care for a patient’s heart, mind, family and future.

If you would like to find out more about Children’s Heart Surgery Fund and make a donation, visit chsf.org.uk.