Children’s Heart Surgery Fund backs specialist care at Leeds General Infirmary, funding family support, equipment and ward resources.
When a baby or child is diagnosed with congenital heart disease, the next days can become a blur of urgent appointments, unfamiliar terminology and difficult decisions. For many Yorkshire families, that journey leads to the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit (LCHU) at Leeds General Infirmary — and, alongside NHS teams, to a Leeds charity that has spent decades ensuring families are supported in ways that go beyond clinical treatment.
The Children’s Heart Surgery Fund (CHSF) is a Leeds-based charity that supports people born with congenital heart disease across the region. Founded in 1988 by surgeon Duncan Walker with the motto ‘Each Child has a Childhood’, it has built its work around a clear principle: children and families need not only excellent medical care, but also practical and emotional support that makes long hospital stays and ongoing treatment more manageable.
CHSF’s role is often described as bridging the gap between what NHS budgets cover and what families experience day to day. The charity funds and provides a range of improvements linked to congenital heart services in Leeds and across the regional network — covering everything from ward resources and specialist equipment to training, research and additional clinical roles www.chsf.org.uk/Donate
Just as importantly, CHSF focuses on what happens outside the operating theatre: the human reality of living through heart surgery and recovery. Families may face repeated hospital visits, time off work, travel costs and extended admissions. CHSF helps by providing family support services and assistance that can reduce pressure at the most demanding times.
A key part of that support is helping families stay close. The charity provides parent accommodation near the hospital, critical for those travelling into Leeds and for parents who need to be at a child’s bedside through intensive treatment and recovery. Being nearby can mean more time with their child, easier communication with clinical teams, and one less logistical crisis at a time when everything already feels uncertain.
While CHSF is proudly Leeds-based, its reach is regional. The Leeds Congenital Heart Unit is a specialist centre serving a wide catchment area, supported by local hospitals across Yorkshire and Humber. CHSF’s funding helps strengthen the support wrapped around those services, benefiting not only patients in Leeds, but also families coming to the city from across the region. That broad purpose is reflected in the charity’s registered aims, which focus on enhancing the quality of care and support available to babies, children and adults treated through the Leeds congenital heart service.
CHSF is also known for mobilising community support through events that are accessible and visible. One of the most established is Wear Red Day, typically held during February (Heart Month), when schools, workplaces and community groups wear red and raise funds through donations and activities. Supporters can take part in organised challenges, run local fundraising events, join Wear Red Day, donate, or explore business partnership opportunities.
Our vision is to support hearts for life and our mission is to support the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit in becoming a world class centre of excellence – by providing the funding and resources needed to care for a patient’s heart, mind, family and future www.chsf.org.uk