| Big hearted Eugene Donnelly becomes patron of local charity helping children with heart disease |
29-Jul-10
Maghera rally driver and five times Irish Tarmac Champion, Eugene Donnelly, has pledged his support for the Children's Heartbeat Trust, a charity that provides emotional and practical aid to Northern Irish children who have serious heart conditions, and their families. |
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Eugene at the Clark Clinic at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children |
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Eugene became involved after visiting the Clark Clinic at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children to meet a young fan who was receiving treatment for a heart defect. Eugene said:
"When I arrived at Clark Clinic I was shocked to see how many children need treatment and surgery for heart problems in Northern Ireland. Being a father myself, the bravery and spirit of these sick children really inspired me and the efforts and hard work of the nurses and doctors in the Clark Clinic was incredible."
Eugene added:
"When the Children's Heartbeat Trust asked me to join the charity as one of their patrons I jumped at the chance to help raise awareness of the fact that children suffer from heart problems too, and to highlight the fantastic work being achieved daily in Clark Clinic. As a rally driver, a lot of my followers are children and young adults and this is an opportunity to give something back to some of the sickest children in Northern Ireland."
Eugene is competing in the Lurgan Park Rally this Saturday 31 July and members from the Children's Heartbeat Trust will be there too, to cheer Eugene on and collect on behalf of the charity.
Sarah Quinlan, Executive Officer with Children's Heartbeat Trust commented:
"We are delighted that Eugene has agreed to join the charity as one of our patrons. It is fantastic to have such a popular sports personality help us raise awareness of heart disease in children, and ensure such children in Northern Ireland receive the best care and treatment possible."
The Children's Heartbeat Trust (inc. Heartbeat) is an independent charity that provides emotional and practical support to parents and families of children with heart disease in Northern Ireland. Heart disease is now one of the most common problems at birth in Northern Ireland, with over 200 children a year born with a heart complaint. One third of these children will require further investigation and/or surgery.
As well as offering local family support groups, the Children's Heartbeat Trust also funds research projects and works closely with the Clark Clinic at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children (RBHSC) to help fund top quality medical equipment and initiatives. The charity provides accommodation for parents at the RBHSC, which means parents can stay at the hospital, close to their sick child.
To find out more about the work of the Children's Heartbeat Trust contact 07584 164 815; email info@childrensheartbeattrust.org or visit www.childrensheartbeattrust.org |
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