Children's MRI Fundraising Meets £2m Target

A fundraising appeal for a new MRI scanner for the Royal Belfast Hospital For Sick Children has reached its £2m target.

The news was announced today by the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Gavin Robinson.

The total sum has been raised through a public fundraising campaign and local events.

The Lord Mayor said: "It is wonderful to be able to make this announcement on behalf of the four charities involved in the Children's MRI Scanner Appeal. The success of this appeal can be directly attributed to the generosity of the Northern Irish public as the public's fundraising and donations have raised the entire £2m needed.

"An MRI Scanner will increase the access to MRI for sick children in Northern Ireland and many more children will be able to benefit from this treatment as opposed to undergoing different types of investigation which may be invasive or involve radiation."

Four local children's charities joined together for the Children's MRI Scanner Appeal; Helping Hand, Carrickmannon MRI Scanner Children's Appeal, the Northern Ireland Children`s Cancer Unit Fund and the Children's Heartbeat Trust.

Previously, the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children had been the only children's hospital in the UK and Ireland not to have an MRI scanner.

Sarah Quinlan, Executive Officer of the Children's Heartbeat Trust, said: "The achievement of meeting the £2m target is a huge success for the Children's MRI Scanner Appeal. It means that the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children can now obtain an extremely important machine, stopping the need to take difficult transfer to the adult facility in the hospital. On behalf of the four charities I would like to thank everyone who supported the Children's MRI Scanner Appeal."

(IT/CD)