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Latest Revelations From Alder Hey
Almost 150 cerebellum (part of the brain) 'found' at Myrtle Street
62 families told their child was not involved, are involved

By now you should have heard the latest shocking news from the hospital - there was certainly enough national and local publicity, and we tried to contact all the co-ordinators so that members would hear it from the group first, rather than the local media.

The hospital had asked for a temporary suspension from giving people information, and returning organs so that they could carry out a detailed check on everything they had got.

PITY II reluctantly agreed, although we knew it would contribute to distress for some people. It was vital that correct information was available at last. It is hard to believe that this only took place in June this year, when people have been waiting for accurate information since last September.

Once the organs were moved from Myrtle Street, and those organs in the Institute of Child Health at Alder Hey were thoroughly checked, there was horrifying news.

Almost 150 cerebellum (part of the brain) were "found" at Myrtle Street. We were told Professor van Velzen had taken them from children who died between the years 1990 and 1995 for research by a PhD student into low birth weight babies. 58 of the families involved had already had a second funeral, and are now faced with the terrible prospect of a third one.

62 families who had contacted the hospital since last September, and been told that their child was not involved, are involved. They will have to be contacted and be given the devastating news.

Within the Institute of Child Health some organs and parts of organs had been found where records could not confirm which child they came from. The hospital is continuing to work to identify them.

The helpline has contacted most of the families known to them where the cerebellum has been retained, although a few have changed their phone number and cannot be contacted.
If you think you might be affected, then ring the helpline - 0800 0734445.

They are also contacting the families who had been told that the hospital did not have anything.

The situation of organ retention seems to get worse all of the time. Some of these latest problems have been the responsibility of the University, not the hospital, and we have asked the University what else they have that has not yet been revealed. Although we hope that everything is now out in the open, the history of the last year does not give us much hope that this is the case.

 

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