LOCAL entrepreneur Dr Terry Cross has delivered specialist, sight saving equipment to the Children’s Eye Unit at the Belfast Trust Royal Victoria Hospital.
Dr Cross previously owned the Delta Print facility at Kennedy Way and has more recently moved to the whiskey and gin market having launched the Hinch distillery in Ballynahinch.
The equipment will have a life-altering role for children of all ages, including premature babies, and their families and is supported by ForSight, the North of Ireland’s newest chain of charity shops dedicated to raising funds for children and adults who are blind or visually impaired.
Dr Cross has been President of the Red Cross NI since 2008 and has recently established his own charitable trust – The David Cross Foundation for Peace and Reconciliation, named in memory of his son, David, who tragically died at the age of 33 from malignant melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer.
In the past two years, Terry has awarded over 20 grants to local charities and community groups through his trust.
Explaining how the equipment will assist, Ms Eibhlin McLoone, Lead Clinician of the Paediatric Ophthalmology Network said that this new equipment is the most powerful and advanced tool available to image the retina.
“This will be the first machine of its kind available in Northern Ireland. Not only will the machine benefit premature babies who require careful monitoring in the first months of life, it will also make a valuable contribution to the screening of children at risk of eye tumours and management of children with complex needs, autism or ADHD. It marks a positive step forward in treatment care plans and it is a truly welcome addition.”
Thanking Dr Terry Cross for making the donation, actor James Nesbitt, who is also a supporter of the premature baby unit at the RVH, added that early screening and intervention will change families' lives immeasurably and will gift sight to those babies at risk.
Commenting on the donation, Dr Cross said: “I feel privileged to be in a position to support the wider community and I am a firm advocate of early intervention and prevention when it comes to health matters. I believe such an approach delivers better outcomes right across the spectrum, whether it relates to eye checks or cancer checks.
“It is vital that we all remain active in our responsibilities and do what we can. Our health service has been under immense pressure due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and resources are stretched.
“If we can do something to support health workers to deliver the best service possible, then we should try to do it. As a result of this investment, over 2000 children referred annually to Paediatric Ophthalmology at the RVH Belfast can avail of the most advanced sight saving screening available, following the introduction of a new retinal camera in its Children’s Eye Unit.”
Terry continues to generously support research programmes at Ulster University around melanoma, as well as many early detection projects, highlighting the dangers of excessive sun exposure and other risk factors. He has also made a remarkable difference in bringing about social change in local communities, guided by his trustees, Rev Dr Stanley Gamble, Rev Bill Shaw and Fr Gary Donegan.
