Video: Leeds Children's Hospital appeal launch

But healthcare bosses in West Yorkshire plan an explosion of colour and fun at a newly-created children's hospital in Leeds, and are calling on the help of the wider Yorkshire community to brighten the lives of patients.

This morning sees the official launch of the Leeds Children's Hospital Appeal, a major new drive to raise funds for toys, games, DVD players and colourful artworks at the newly-established wing inside Leeds General Infirmary.

Individuals, businesses, schools and community groups are all being asked to contribute to a fund, which organisers hope will also pay for modern medical equipment.

"New wards mean new beginnings, and we want to make every child's stay in hospital better, brighter and happier," said the hospital's development and fund-raising manager, Jacquie Cross.

"We would love every child to have a 'put-up' bed beside them to allow a parent or guardian to stay in comfort. We want each bed to have a box of toys to help fill the hours our patients spend with us."

Leeds Children's Hospital officially opened earlier this year after NHS bosses decided to amalgamate all children's services from across the LGI and St James's Hospital sites in a bid to improve services. While the old children's wards at Leeds's hospitals did have some entertainment equipment, Ms Cross said much of it is now looking old and tired.

"It would be fantastic to leave the old VHS machines behind and provide DVD players and a variety of films to suit children of all ages," she said.

"We want to make the wards, theatres, patient waiting room and day case areas child and family-friendly, too. We'd like to banish plain walls and put up art and pictures to cheer and bring pleasure to patients and their families.

"Then there's the state-of-the-art medical equipment that every clinician would choose to work with if budgets allowed."

To this end, hospital staff were asked to draw up a wishlist of new medical equipment they would like to see installed. Top of the list is a 230,000 integrated digital operating theatre, which will allow surgeons to perform advanced keyhole surgery with high-definition images.

Other equipment being targeted by the appeal include a bone density scanner and new physiotherapy equipment for children and young people.

The new equipment will help youngsters like Chloe Monte, who was born in March last year at LGI with a type of facial tumour. She has already experienced numerous hospital visits and extended stays during her young life, and will continue to require reconstructive surgery.

Her mother Sarah, who is now a patron of the children's hospital, said: "In those first few weeks I really feared for her life. But she was such a good little patient – always cheery, always bubbly. It quickly became clear she was a wee fighter."

The appeal will be launched this morning with a fund-raising balloon race and series of guest speakers. It has already received the backing of Leeds MP Greg Mulholland, who yesterday proposed an Early Day Motion pledging Parliament's support.

To pledge money to the Leeds Children's Hospital Appeal, email fundraising@leedsth. nhs.uk, call 0113 3926803, or write to Fund-raising Team, Leeds Children's Hospital Appeal, Leeds General Infirmary, Great George Street, Leeds, LS1 3EX.

Alternatively visit the appeal's website,

leedshospitalfundraising.co.uk, Facebook page or Twitter feed, @LCH_Appeal.