Big boost for heart appeal

ONE hundred thanks for a blockbusting start to a vital campaign!

The Evening Star's 'Have a Heart' drive is asking for just one pound from every person who may need heart care at Ipswich Hospital in the future - which would collect around �350,000 to improve services.

But one generous reader felt so passionately about the cause he that delivered �100 in the hope of spurring on efforts to develop state-of-the-art cardiac facilities at Heath Road.

The 75-year-old donor from Ipswich, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “I read about it in the paper and thought that you have to start somewhere, so I'll give this money.

“I had an operation at the hospital a few months ago and they were very good and I want to help the hospital.

“We might all need the hospital and I don't think it's right that we would send someone to Norwich with a heart attack.”

Other cheques and donations have already been received, giving a massive boost to the appeal.

The Star launched the campaign to help raise money to create a specialist heart centre at Ipswich Hospital following the outcry over plans to treat all urgent heart attack victims outside Suffolk.

Health bosses want to send emergency patients to high-tech primary angioplasty centres in Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex, but originally ruled out setting up a similar centre in Ipswich.

However following a review into the proposals by heart tsar Professor Roger Boyle the Heath Road hospital is now hoping to first create a laboratory to carry out non-urgent angioplasty procedures, and possibly emergency treatment in the future.

To support the campaign send cheques made payable to Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust to Have a Heart, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN, or donate money in person at the Star's Ipswich offices.

If you want to start fundraising to help us raise as much money as possible for the hospital, let us know about your event by calling The Evening Star news desk on 01473 324788 or e-mail starnews@eveningstar.co.uk.