PARENTS, health workers and politicians are preparing to take to the streets to keep a vital children’s heart centre open.
And Huddersfield families are being called on to show their support by joining the peaceful demonstration in Leeds this Monday.
The unit which is part of Leeds General Infirmary has provided vital care for children and families across Huddersfield.
But earlier this month the Joint Committee of Public Health Care Trusts made the decision to close the surgery – forcing families to travel to Newcastle or Liverpool to receive vital care.
Now campaigners who worked tirelessly before the meeting, have refused to give up their fight.
They will be staging a ‘peaceful demonstration’ in Leeds.
Linthwaite mum Gaynor Bearder – whose five-year-old son Joel had his life saved by surgeons at LGI – said it will be a celebration of what the unit has achieved.
She said: “It will be a happy demonstration with the children who came out of that unit, celebrating the amazing care they received.
“More than 600,000 people signed a petition to save that unit. Now we need them all to come and join us in saving it.”
She appealed for anyone who can spare their lunch hour to join the crowds, who will gather in Millennium Square at noon.
The march will take them through the city centre and will end at the Jubilee building.
The protest will end with speeches from MPs and representatives from the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund.
Parents from each local area are also expected, including Gaynor.
CHSF director Sharon Cheng said: “The decision to close the Unit is an outrage.
“Decision makers ignored the evidence put forward to keep children’s heart surgery in Leeds and we will continue to fight to have this decision overturned.
“This demonstration will be peaceful but we are determined to make our voices heard.
“Future generations will be effected by this decision and as birth rates are set to soar in the next ten years we have to look to the future so logically this region should not be disadvantaged.
“We are encouraging everyone to come out and support us in our fight to save life saving surgery provision for the people of Yorkshire, the Humber and beyond”.
