RVH Department Closure? Ollie’s Story…
One of ToddlerSoccer.Org's newest recruits is Ollie Boyd Millar aged 2 and a half years. Like any other child of that age, Ollie loves to race his friends to the ball, tackle & score goals. However, Ollie's start in life was not like that of the majority of children who attend our Soccer School. He was born with a congenital heart defect named Transposition of the Great Arteries, his aorta & pulmonary arteries grew reversed. Ollie had surgery a matter of hours after he was born & at ten days old, underwent open heart surgery.
Young Ollie at Toddler Soccer last week
Nearly three years on & Ollie is a walking testament to the skills & dedication of the surgical team at The Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children. It is hardly surprising that the parents of children with heart defects in Northern Ireland are outraged following the publication of the Safe & Sustainable Review into pediatric congenital heart services in Northern Ireland which stated these very services that Ollie benefited from are SAFE, but not sustainable. In essence, this report signals the closure of the Belfast service. Removing this surgery from Belfast will mean that very ill babies, children & their families will be forced to travel hundreds of miles for specialist treatment as well as surgery. This is why the local service must be retained...and we need your help to ensure this happens.
Coach Tim and ToddlerSoccer.Org supports 'The Children's Heartbeat Trust' in their campaign to keep this service. The Charities Executive Director, Sarah Quinlan says, “We are calling on Minister Edwin Poots to ensure the continued provision of heart surgery for babies & children at The Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children in Belfast. This is the time for local Ministers to take local decisions & resist a ‘one size fits all’ UK approach. Our overriding position is that it is imperative that children’s heart surgery continues to be delivered at the hospital in Belfast. There are options available which can safeguard the provision of heart surgery for children & babies in Northern Ireland, such as an all-Ireland network which retains a service in Belfast."
