More than £93,000 raised by emergency appeal to support Sheffield Children’s

Supporters of the charity including businesses, patrons and individuals have come together to raise the money, which has funded vital equipment and resources requested by the Trust.

They have been able to support Sheffield Children’s by providing a video laryngoscope to help the Intensive Care Unit, equipment for patients to monitor their conditions at home, craft and play activities and supporting staff wellbeing.

A video laryngoscope, costing £22,000, was funded to enable the team on the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to quickly establish airways in patients with difficult conditions.

The new device enables staff to review the process on a monitor, ensuring accuracy and safety.

Lung function tests, known as Spirometers, have also been funded to allow patients under the care of the Respiratory Team at Sheffield Children’s to continue to be assessed.

Normally performed at every clinic, this test forms an integral part of patient assessment, showing whether the airways have narrowed, and which treatment path may be best for the child.

Jane Kirkby, Highly Specialist Respiratory Physiologist at Sheffield Children’s, explained: “Since lockdown began, we have been unable to perform any lung function tests in our usual way as it is a high-risk procedure.

“While we can manage many patients by talking them through their symptoms, we were very concerned about our more complex asthma patients.

“The funding from The Children’s Hospital Charity has enabled us to purchase some portable devices, which we have posted to the children and we have then conducted the tests as part of their video consultation.

“Uncontrolled asthma is a very serious condition and sadly can be fatal.

“The information has been invaluable as we now know if we need to increase treatment and whether it is working for them appropriately.

“ In some circumstances, they have even told us when a hospital admission is required.”

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