The Evening Press and York Hospital today launch a £300,000 appeal for a life-saving children's unit. Health reporter CHARLOTTE PERCIVAL explains why.

HOW would you feel if your child suddenly needed life-saving hospital care?

You would be devastated and panic-stricken, of course. As you faced your personal nightmare, you would want to know York Hospital had the best facilities possible.

You would hope your child would not need an agonising hospital transfer to Leeds.

Standards are high in York, but we want to make things even better.

That's why our Evening Press Guardian Angels appeal aims to change the face of high-dependency care on York Hospital's children's ward.

By raising £300,000, we'll improve life for the sickest children going into hospital and where possible, ensure they can be treated in York. Your money will fund two life-saving high-dependency rooms with new, specialised equipment.

This unit would be the first of its kind in the region that could deal with youngsters arriving as emergencies.

These children could be suffering from any of a wide range of illnesses, including meningitis, septicaemia, breathing difficulties, viral chest infections, obstructions of the voicebox, severe asthma, bronchiolitis, convulsions or coma and physical injury.

A specialist nurse will care solely for these "high-dependency" children, ensuring round-the-clock observation, and other staff will be trained to get the most out of the improvements.

Children would have immediate access to the right treatment instead of having to wait for ventilators and monitors to be taken from other patients.

This major investment in care for children in York, North and East Yorkshire would also help keep patients' health care closer to home and family, minimising distressing transfers to intensive care units elsewhere.

Jill Crampton, matron of children's services, encouraged readers to get behind the appeal. "We do provide the care and we provide good care, but to move us to the next step up would be marvellous," she said. "Hopefully, the majority of readers will never have to take their children to hospital, but to do something to ensure the equipment is there, and that it's the best, would be fantastic.

"I hope we never have to provide this facility for their child, but I hope they understand why it's so important."

Updated: 09:38 Monday, October 10, 2005