A CAMPAIGNING politician has today backed The Evening Star's efforts to help bolster Ipswich Hospital's cardiac department.
A CAMPAIGNING politician has today backed The Evening Star's efforts to help bolster Ipswich Hospital's cardiac department.
Ben Gummer, the prospective Conservative parliamentary candidate for Ipswich, has stood up for people in the town by urging health bosses to create a specialist heart attack centre in Ipswich, so patients are not forced to travel outside the county for treatment.
Now he has thrown his weight behind the Star's efforts to raise as much money as possible to help make the dream of setting up the high-tech facilities at Heath Road become a reality.
Mr Gummer said: “Once again The Evening Star is stepping up to the plate.
“This is a fantastic campaign. I urge everyone to give just a little amount towards making sure that we have top class heart services in Ipswich.
“We are owed these services out of our taxes, but a show of aspiration by Ipswich people will make it all the more likely that we will get what we deserve.”
The Star hopes that if everyone in Ipswich Hospital's catchment population, who may potentially need life-saving emergency heart attack care close to home, gives the cause �1, enough money can be raised to make a reall difference.
The hospital is hoping to invest in a specialist catheter laboratory which will allow it to carry out elective angioplasty operations. Once the centre is up and running the hospital could then consider trying to expand the service it offers and providing urgent heart care too.
Until then patients will have to travel to specialist centres at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, Papworth in Cambridgeshire and Basildon in Essex, to access the best care.
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
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