M6toll provides support to local Childrens Charity

Midland Expressway Ltd (operators of the M6toll) have supported a local Birmingham charity with a donation of £1,000 to fund 3 new INR machines for their young members who need to regularly monitor their bloods following open heart surgery.

Young at Heart is a Charity based in Erdington who provide support to families of children with heart conditions. In 1982, a group of parents of children with Congenital Heart Disease, set up the charity to eliminate the isolation many families felt with all Trustees having something in common – a child with a poorly heart.  The Founder Trustees voluntarily gave their time and energy to work alongside the services and medical care team at the Birmingham Children’s Hospital, providing much needed help to affected families.  Young at Heart have raised thousands of pounds over the years to help provide a forum for families to meet socially for trips, parties and other events.

Claire Donnelly; Chair of Trustees said; “As a small Charity we are extremely grateful for this generous donation from the M6toll. The INR machines that we will be able to purchase will mean so much to the families, the children are on Warfarin following open heart surgery and will now be able to have their regular INR testing at home instead of loosing valuable time from school to attend numerous hospital appointments.”

Sheena Hawkins; Social Squad member added: “My family has personally benefited from Young at Heart and I feel strongly about the work they are doing to help cardiac children.  The small patients with complicated heart defects spend many months in hospital and to have an INR machine at home means less hospital visits for families. It makes a huge difference to the child’s school attendance and also means parents need to take less time off work. The charity provide a critical support line for families and work closely with the Heart Unit at Birmingham Children’s Hospital but receive no funding for this. The INR machine takes blood readings which is then communicated to the hospital for them to work out the Warfarin dosage. I am so pleased we have been able to support this charity which has had such a positive impact on my own family. ”

Midland Expressway Ltd’s (MEL) donation forms part of a wider initiative to Support Local Schools and Community Projects. MEL’s Social Squad is always on the lookout for local charities and community projects to support. To register your charity or community project with MEL for consideration to receive fundraising or practical (volunteering) support now or in the future visit www.m6toll.co.uk for further information or email d4c@m6toll.co.uk

For further information about Young at Heart visit www.youngatheart.org.uk

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