Brave Brayden another NW beneficiary of trust

Little Brayden Moore from the Waterside is doing well following treatment at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children but is still awaiting an operation.
Three week old Brayden Moore from the Waterside who is receiving treatment for a heart condition with (from left) Sarah Quinlan, Executive Officer of the Childrens Heartbeat Trust; Denise Shields, Barista Coffee House; and staff nurse Alison Turner.Three week old Brayden Moore from the Waterside who is receiving treatment for a heart condition with (from left) Sarah Quinlan, Executive Officer of the Childrens Heartbeat Trust; Denise Shields, Barista Coffee House; and staff nurse Alison Turner.
Three week old Brayden Moore from the Waterside who is receiving treatment for a heart condition with (from left) Sarah Quinlan, Executive Officer of the Childrens Heartbeat Trust; Denise Shields, Barista Coffee House; and staff nurse Alison Turner.

Brave Brayden, born with a heart condition, was looked after by nurses whilst his mother Andrena McLaughlin stayed in accommodation provided by the Heartbeat Trust.

Brayden is now back at home awaiting a heart operation early next year.

The Children’s Heartbeat Trust provides an invaluable service to families from the North West as previously reported in the Sentinel.It delivers emotional and practical support to parents and families of children with heart disease in Northern Ireland.

On Monday, Sarah Quinlan, Executive Officer of the Trust (pictured with Brayden) welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Health Edwin Poots that agreement has been reached between officials and Dublin surgeons to provide support and surgical cover which allows congenital heart surgery to continue in Belfast.

It was feared that kids’ heart surgery and the Clark Clinic in the Royal would be withdrawn following a Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) on Paediatric Congenital Cardiac Services.

Ms Quinlan said: “We welcome this assessment which is specifically tailored to address the needs of children and adults with congenital heart disease in Northern Ireland, and which is being delivered on behalf of both governments.

“Today’s (Monday) announcement also shows that an all-Island cardiac surgery network is possible and achievable with Dublin surgeons continuing to support their surgical colleagues in Belfast, something we have consistently called for.”

Outlining expert clincial support for an all-Island network, she said: “Along with specialist clinicians in Belfast and families, the Children’s Heartbeat Trust have argued from the beginning of this long process that the continuation of surgery in Belfast was feasible if it was considered as part of an all-island network.”

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