Region digs deep for Air Angel Appeal

Nov 29 2009 Sunday Sun

WOW! The Sunday Sun Air Angel’s campaign total is up to £90,000 in just our first three weeks.

Your donations, pledges and efforts have been fantastic so far, but there’s still a long way to go before we hit our ambitious £1m total, so please keep doing what you can.

Sunday Sun editor Colin Patterson said: “To reach a total of £90,000 in donations and pledges in only three weeks is a magnificent effort on behalf of Sunday Sun readers.

“I never had any doubt that the people of the region would rally to such a worthy cause, but their generosity, particularly at this time of year, is heart-warming and astonishing.”

Readers were spurred on by the incredible story of Ted Parks which we told last week.

The five-month-old baby, from Middlesbrough, was just 10 minutes from death when the Air Ambulance stepped in

The Air medics were part of the incredible effort which brought him back from the brink of death three times.

Strapped to Berlin Heart, at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital, the brave youngster, known to intensive care nurses as “Superted”, is still waiting for a life-saving heart transplant.

Since last Sunday he has also had a cold to contend with.

Dr Richard Kirk, baby Ted’s consultant paediatric cardiologist, explained more about the youngster’s situation this week.

He said: “The condition Ted has affects his heart rhythm, making it very ineffective in the way it pumps. It is extremely rare and he us certainly one of the sickest babies we are treating in the hospital at the moment.

“It is certain without the Air Ambulance bringing him in he would have died. He is a tough cookie.

“Only half the children his age survive to transplant, because there aren’t enough donors. The whole of Europe has been put on watch for an available heart

“We want people to sign up to the donor register. We want people to think about how they would feel if they were in such a terrible plight. Think about what you would do if one of your loved ones died and was in a position to help.

“Babies do the best of all transplant groups if they get the organ they need.”

Dr Kirk also paid tribute to the team he works with at the Freeman Hospital.

“We have a team of more than 100 staff. Without them we just wouldn’t be able to treat the patients we do. I’m very lucky to work with a fantastic group of people.”