Posted By Georgia Startin-Field
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Red Sky Foundation Funds New £60,000 Paediatric Echo Machine to Transform Children’s Heart Care

Red Sky Foundation is proud to announce the donation of a new £60,000 paediatric echocardiography machine to Darlington Memorial Hospital, helping to improve access to specialist heart diagnostics for babies and children across County Durham and Darlington.

The state-of-the-art equipment has been funded by Red Sky Foundation as part of its ongoing commitment to improving cardiac care and supporting local healthcare services. The new machine will help reduce waiting times for young patients requiring essential heart assessments and ensure children can access the care they need more quickly.

Paediatric echocardiograms are a vital diagnostic tool used to assess heart structure and function. The new machine will enable clinical teams to carry out detailed heart scans more efficiently, supporting earlier diagnosis, faster treatment and an improved experience for children and their families.

The funding for the machine was made possible through the incredible efforts of Red Sky Foundation supporters, including a dedicated team of fundraisers who undertook the challenge of trekking to Everest Base Camp. The group self-funded their expedition, ensuring that every penny raised could go directly towards supporting babies, children and adults living with heart conditions.

Dr Sergio Petrucci (Hon.) MBE, CEO and Founder of Red Sky Foundation, said:

“At Red Sky Foundation, we are passionate about improving heart care and ensuring families have access to the best possible support and equipment. We are incredibly proud to fund this much-needed paediatric echo machine for County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust.

Early diagnosis is absolutely vital when it comes to heart conditions, and this equipment will make a real difference to children and families across the region. This simply would not have been possible without our amazing Everest trekkers, whose commitment, determination and passion to help others has been nothing short of inspirational. Their challenge will leave a lasting legacy for so many families.”

Mrs Terry Phillips, Network Manager at the NENC CHD Network, said:

“Echo machines are an essential part of delivering a paediatric cardiology service. Most, if not all, children referred to the service will need an echo scan.

Until now there has been no dedicated machine for paediatrics. We have relied on the goodwill of the adult cardiology team in loaning their machine to support the paediatric clinics.

Having this machine in place is a significant achievement and will have a direct impact on waiting lists, average wait times and, most importantly, patient experience and care.”

Rich Jones, Charity Manager at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“We are incredibly grateful to Red Sky Foundation and everyone involved in supporting this appeal. This new paediatric echo machine will make a real difference for children and families across our communities by helping reduce waiting times and improving access to specialist cardiac diagnostics.”

This latest donation represents another important milestone in Red Sky Foundation’s mission to improve cardiac services and patient outcomes across the North East. By working in partnership with healthcare providers, supporters and fundraisers, the charity continues to invest in life-changing equipment that delivers lasting benefits for patients, families and NHS staff alike.

Lauren Faye, General Manager for Paediatrics and Neonates, added:

“We look forward to continuing to work together and supporting one another in the future to make a lasting difference for children and families.”

Everyone at Red Sky Foundation would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our incredible Everest Base Camp team 2025. Your dedication, determination and generosity have helped make this project possible.

By taking on such an extraordinary challenge and fundraising every step of the way, you have played a vital role in bringing this life-saving equipment to children and families across our region. The impact of your efforts will be felt for years to come, helping young patients access faster diagnosis, treatment and care when they need it most.

You should be immensely proud of what you have achieved. Thank you for going above and beyond to support Red Sky Foundation and for helping us continue to make a real difference to those living with heart conditions.

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