How brave Leon's list has led to help for thousands

WHILE teenager Leon Montanari was in his hospital bed he made a list.

- ROBERT DALLING

His time in a ward allowed him time to brainstorm ideas on what he could do to help others in the form of the little old televisions in hospital, which he wanted to fix to allow other patients to have more entertainment.

He and his mum, Julie Montanari, discussed raising money to fund remote controls, aerials and scart leads, and maybe even purchase a games console if there was enough money left over.

But Leon, of Clydach, Swansea, tragically did not live long enough to see the plan come to fruition.

Only five days after putting pen to paper, he passed away on October 30, 2009, on the Children’s Hospital of Wales’ Heulwen ward in Cardiff. He was just 13.

Leon was born with a rare heart condition, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which affects normal blood flow through the left side of the heart.

Despite weighing a healthy 8lb 12oz when he was born, he was given just three days to live but made it to 10 months, when he was taken to Great Ormond Street Hospital for a life-saving heart transplant.

The youngster also suffered with epilepsy, but was a spirited little boy who remained relatively healthy until he was 10 years old and his body began to reject the new heart.

As testament to his courageous personality, Leon never let on to others how ill he felt despite his suffering and always wanted to stay active.

On his last evening at the hospital in 2009, Leon texted his friends: “Goodnight, I love you.”

Grieving for her son, Julie discovered the list he had written in his bag when collecting his belongings.

The discovery was something that was to kick-start an amazing charity fund which has helped thousands of people across Wales, creating a lasting legacy all in Leon’s name.