Team 1C came together as a group more than five years ago to give all children born with CHD the best possible life. Their name comes from the name of the ward they met on – Ward 1C at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, which treats children from all over the Northwest of England and parts of Wales and Northern Ireland. Before becoming a charity in their own right, the team focussed their efforts on fundraising for various causes close to their hearts.
Overseas they have raised enough money to fund heart surgeries for more than 200 children who would have died, having been born in countries with no free healthcare facilities like the NHS. The heart surgeries are provided at special “camps” named after Team 1C’s children, providing a lasting legacy for grieving parents.
Closer to home, they have built a community for CHD families, and led many fundraising events. They raised £20,000 for Alder Hey Childrens Charity as well as purchasing equipment for the Cardiology ward, play equipment and parent supplies. They have fundraised and refurbished an apartment for the local 85-room Ronald McDonald House at Alder Hey. They regularly volunteer there and provide treats for the families staying there. They have also raised funds for Liverpool Women’s hospital to buy a cardiac sim doll, which helped doctors training in diagnosing tiny babies.
They have only recently become a registered charity, having noticed that they have been filling a gap in support services for CHD families in the Northwest, and they would like to be able to make more of an impact. Early projects for their new charity include as Buddy Support Programme, a Kid’s Fun Day and a Mental Wellbeing Day.
The Buddy Support Programme will provide peer support for newly diagnosed expectant parents at Alder Hey, including information and supplies to make life in hospital a little easier. The Kid’s fun day will be a chance for cardiac children to meet each other outside of hospital and have fun, in a fully inclusive environment. The Mental Wellbeing Day will help families to explore a wider range of options for coping and mental wellbeing aside from services available in the clinical environment.
Funds from the Matthew Good Foundation will help this new charity fund its first independent initiatives, providing some much-needed support to families across the Northwest.
“Thank you so much for even considering our little charity! We are just a small group of parents with a big dream, to give every child born with a heart defect the best possible chance at a full life, one tiny heart at a time! We are determined to make our children proud and leave a legacy for the little ones who never made it home.”
“It was a privilege to meet Claire and Dave, get to know them and hear more about the incredible difference their fundraising and awareness raising has had on the community in both the UK and further afield. Team 1C is managed solely by volunteers and is made up of families who have experienced heartache and trauma as their own children have been seriously ill. The group formed from shared experiences and a real desire to help other families whose children live with heart conditions. Now a registered charity, the team has big ambitions but, at the moment, is just getting started. Funding will go towards its development and improving the support available for children with congenital heart defects and their families.”
Latest Project Updates
June 2023
Granted £2,500
After becoming one of the top five finalists in the latest Grants for Good Round, £2,500 was granted.