A Fermanagh business has been stepping up the fight against children’s heart disease for Recycling Week (September 12 to 18). 
Bryson Recycling launched their ‘Recycling Rewards’ campaign with Encirc in Derrylin. 
The business pledged to donate £1 to Children’s Heartbeat Trust for every tonne of paper, glass and plastic collected through Bryson’s weekly kerbside recycling service, which includes more than 170,000 households across Northern Ireland. The money donated will support the charity to continue to provide practical and emotional support to children who suffer from heart conditions.
The McGirr family from Fermanagh have shared their personal experience with their daughter Riley, who is five and a half years old.
Teresa, Riley’s mother, said: “Before Riley was born we knew she had a very serious congenital heart defect. It has been a rollercoaster but she continually astounds us with her fighting spirit. Riley will need more operations as and when her body tells us but her illness doesn’t define her. Loveable, cheeky, bossy and determined, she is our wee hero.
“When Riley was critically ill a lot of our time was spent at the Clark Clinic in Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital. We soon learned that Children’s Heartbeat Trust funded the accommodation so we could be at Riley’s bedside in a matter of moments. They also provide vital medical equipment and resources for the Clark Clinic and even gave us financial assistance so we could manage everything whilst caring for Riley. 
“We’ve met lots of other local families who have used the Clark Clinic and have a Children’s Heartbeat support group in Fermanagh, which is a fantastic support network. The Children’s Heartbeat Trust has become very close to our hearts. It is vital to find out why children are born with broken hearts so that one day we will find a cure.”
The campaign expected to recycle and reprocess around 10,000 tonnes of material, and the money raised from this recycling will provide a range of products and services for the charity, including Coaguchek machines, a defibrillator, support for 10 families travelling outside Northern Ireland for surgery and 35 counselling sessions to provide support for anxious parents.
Children’s Heartbeat Trust is a local charity who provide practical and emotional support to children and young people affected by heart disease and their families. The charity works closely with Clark Clinic in the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children helping to fund top medical equipment and initiatives ensuring that children with heart disease in Northern Ireland receive the best care and support possible.  Heart disease is the most common birth defect here, with over 200 babies born every year with the disease, many of which will require open heart surgery and support. For more information on the work of Children’s Heartbeat Trust visit www.childrensheartbeattrust.org.