The UK’s first dedicated children’s hospital TV launched its brand-new app at Leeds Children’s Hospital on Wednesday 24th May.

The Leeds Children's Hospital TV (LCHTV) app will help children and young adults, who are admitted into hospital, share their experiences through documentaries, self-made short films, and animation.

Download the LCHTV app today

The award-winning LCHTV network was the first of its kind in the UK when it launched in 2015, thanks to funding awarded by Leeds Hospitals Charity. Since then, donations to the charity have provided over £125,000 to support the development of the channel.

There are currently over 500 videos on the network, including films explaining to young patients about where their treatment will happen and Virtual Reality guides to the Children’s Hospital site before they are admitted.

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Nineteen-year-old Isabel “Izzy” Barlow was diagnosed with Parry Romberg syndrome - a rare and progressive auto-immune condition that affects facial tissue - when she was just three years old. Izzy has been a regular patient at Leeds Children’s Hospital ever since. After a series of fits when she was twelve, Izzy was then diagnosed with epilepsy.

During her hospital journey, Izzy featured in a video on LCHTV, using her experience to help other young patients like her going through a similar situation.

Izzy says, “My life before Epilepsy was a lot simpler – I guess you could say it was a bit more fun, as I didn’t have to worry about medication. I also didn’t have to worry about risk assessments when going into places for a long period of time.”

“My personal life is still affected, as having to explain Parry Romberg syndrome to new people is really difficult. Even though I’m not ashamed, my condition is visible. Also, having a seizure in front of someone can be not just embarrassing for me, but quite frightening for the person watching it.”

Izzy is now focusing on the future and is currently at university undertaking a degree in nursing, having been influenced by the staff at Leeds Children’s Hospital.

Her dream is to help and support people in hospital, in the same way the staff at Leeds Children’s Hospital supported her when she was there.

She says, “My motivation in life is thinking about life first then medical life second as I am currently at university. I hope to finish my degree in nursing and go on to help and support people in hospital, like the people who supported me when I was there.”

Download the LCHTV app today

Leeds Children's Hospital

Leeds Children’s Hospital supports hundreds of thousands of paediatric patients every year. As one of the largest children’s hospitals in the UK, it provides a range of specialist services for children across the North of England.

Leeds Hospitals Charity supports Leeds Children’s Hospital to deliver the best by directing support to our six priority areas.

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Read More: Leeds Children's Hospital

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