PARENTS of children who have undergone heart surgery at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital are giving back after raising more than £5,000 to pay for a family apartment at Ronald McDonald House.

Team 1C is made up of parents of youngsters who have had treatment on that ward at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. T

Their fundraising has helped fund a surgeon to attend camps abroad – which saved the lives of more than 100 children.

At Christmas they decided to also give back to the Ronald McDonald House, situated next door to the hospital which offers free accommodation to parents and families of children who are patients, by doing an online social media calendar.

Each day in December they shared a picture and story of one of the children treated on Ward 1C, including some who have since died.

This raised £5,000 which has paid for a room at the Ronald McDonald House for families in the future.

On Tuesday a plaque was unveiled in their honour.

Claire Cathcart, one of the members of Team 1C, whose three-year-old son Jake was born with a complex heart issue, said: “Each of us as parents and families have used Mac House at some points in our lives, which are often the scariest in our lives.

“For myself I haven’t been back here since I had to stay when Jake was at his worst, so it was hard to be back and others like Emma lost their children and have come back to those memories.

“But we do it because it’s important to give back. Hopefully when families have to use this room they can see the plaque and realise we support them, and that they are not alone.”