Newtownabbey: ‘amazing’ support for young heart surgery patient inspires aunt's 90-ft abseil of ‘Giant’s Drop’

Deputy Sister, Donna Gallagher, who is based in the Ulster Hospital’s Mental Health Inpatient Unit’s, tacked the ‘Giant’s Drop’ in aid of the Children’s Heartbeat Trust.

Donna and a fellow group of steely-nerved fundraisers took part in the daring descent raising £20,000 for the charity which is dedicated to supporting children living with congenital heart disease and their families.

Donna explained the challenge was a way of saying thank you to the charity which has provided immeasurable and compassionate care to her little one-and-a-half year-old nephew, Jozie McAdorey-Magill whose heart condition was diagnosed antenatally as Transportation of the Great Arteries (TGA). Jozie has already had two open heart surgeries to date.

“Since birth, Jozie has been for various life-saving open heart surgeries in Dublin along with some long hospital stays,” said Donna. “Our family have been supported and continue to be supported by the Children's Heartbeat Trust.

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"The charity provides practical bedside support, counselling services and financial help for families who must travel outside Northern Ireland for surgery or long term treatment.”

Every week in Northern Ireland, four more babies are born with heart disease.

Donna continued: “Jozie may need a heart transplant in the future. We could not have got through it all without their emotional and practical support.

"They are an amazing charity and we as a family cannot thank them enough. A group of us decided to take part in the Giant’s Drop and on the day we just went for it, I was a bit nervous at the top, but once we got going, it was fine.

“Without the Children's Heartbeat Trust, there would be no tailored support for hundreds of children like Jozie and their families in Northern Ireland. This was just our way of giving something back.”