Money donated to the Cindy Appleyard Memorial Fund is given to the Children's Heart Federation Family Support Grant scheme. Here’s why:

Cindy Appleyard suffered heart failure when she was 9 months old. She was admitted to paediatric intensive care in Newcastle where she was put on life support. The aim was to keep her alive long enough for a donor heart to be found and a transplant operation to take place. Sadly she died before a heart could be found. During the time she was in hospital, Cindy’s parents, Em and Nick relocated from Manchester to Newcastle – putting their lives and their jobs on hold. That experience made them want to help others who found themselves in similar position.

Em and Nick: "After having to re-locate to Newcastle with a moment's notice and facing the possibility of spending most of the year there, we imagined what it might be like for families in our position who aren't able to rent a house (like we were), that had employers that were not flexible (like ours were) and had school age children, mortgages/rent and bills to pay back home.

“We met other families with a child on intensive care waiting for a heart transplant. They were all living in one room in shared flats far worse than halls of residence. One family were from near Inverness - 6 hours drive from Newcastle. We felt that that supporting these families was where we wanted Cindy's fund to go."

The Family Support Grants support families with children who have heart conditions. They give financial assistance to help families cope with financial difficulties they face when caring for a child with a heart condition.

This includes:

• Help with accommodation or travel costs while a child with a heart condition is in hospital.

• Help with meeting costs for specific items or appliances that will ease the difficulties of caring for a child with a heart condition at home.

• Contribution/part‐funding towards specific equipment or other costs on evidence that the remaining amount has been raised.  

Already Cindy’s fund has raised £3550. This money has helped the families of more than ten children. Here are some examples: 

A five-month-old baby boy was transferred at two days old from Bristol to Cardiff Paediatric Intensive Care unit where he remains on continuous monitoring and respiratory support. Great Ormond Street Hospital have been contacted because he will require a heart transplant. The parents required a grant to pay for their travel costs and accommodation. We awarded this family the full amount requested of £300.

A two-year-old boy with dilated cardio myopathy and awaiting a transplant at Great Ormond Street. Both parents were working but mum has given up and dad is now working part time. They live at the hospital and income is suffering due to their extensive stay. We awarded this family £250.

A six-month-old baby boy has only ever spent 8 weeks of his life out of hospital. Both parents are now not working to so that they can care for him and their other children. They asked for money toward their 70 mile journey. We awarded this family the full amount of £300.

 A two-year-old boy with complete AVSD and down syndrome. Both parents unemployed and have three other children. They are finding it difficult to cover the costs of staying when their son is in hospital. Family asked for £200 – we awarded them the full amount.

A three-year-old girl at Leeds General Infirmary with a complex heart condition. She has been an inpatient for 10 weeks which was much longer than anticipated. She had palliative surgery and is currently on the intensive care unit and very unwell. Her sibling is also unwell with liver disease and in a separate hospital. Family trying to travel to see both children. This family was awarded £300.