Northern Ireland businessman backs £110k equipment boost for Royal Victoria Hospital children’s eye unit

Chairman and founder of Hinch Distillery in Ballynahinch, Dr Terry Cross OBE, a successful local serial entrepreneur, is backing the delivery of specialist, sight-saving equipment to the Children’s Eye Unit at the Belfast Trust Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH).

The equipment will play a life-changing role for children of all ages, including premature babies, while offering reassurance to their families. The purchase was facilitated by the David Cross Foundation for Peace and Reconciliation and funded by a donor who wishes to remain anonymous.

Dr Cross has long supported children’s charities and has been a dedicated supporter of integrated education over very many years.

In addition to his longstanding investment in the growth of the Irish whiskey and gin sectors here as drivers of export growth, Dr Cross created a hugely successful Delta Print and Packaging business in West Belfast. Delta Pack subsequently attracted Chinese investment to the company which specialised in food packing for food giants such as McDonald’s. He is also the founder and chairman of the innovative Biopax eco-packaging enterprise in Belfast.

Hinch Distillery is among the most modern of Ireland’s producers of a range of Hinch single malt, Pot Still and blended whiskeys. The state-of-the art distillery also produces an award-winning gin, is home to an impressive visitor centre and also offers a range of gourmet meals at its recently re-opened on-site brasserie.

Explaining how the equipment for RVH will assist, Eibhlín McLoone, consultant paediatric ophthalmic surgeon and regional lead of the Paediatric Ophthalmology Network Northern Ireland, says: “Each year, approximately 4,000 children are referred to the Northern Ireland Regional Children’s Eye Service, with specialist care delivered at the Children’s Eye Unit in the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast.

“Thanks to a recent generous donation, facilitated by the David Cross Foundation for Peace and Reconciliation and funded by a donor who wishes to remain anonymous, clinicians at the Children’s Eye Unit now have access to state-of-the-art equipment worth approximately £110,000. This investment enables the team to provide the highest standard of eye care to children across Northern Ireland.

“The IXanner Handheld Portable Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) Scanner – a highly compact, device, only recently available on the market – allows clinicians to examine the retinas of premature infants and older children with complex needs who cannot use standard table-mounted OCT machines. It is particularly valuable for the early diagnosis of conditions such as retinal dystrophies and albinism, which will become increasingly important as gene therapy treatments continue to advance.

“A new portable fundal camera with fluorescein angiography capability has also been procured. This technology allows clinicians to perform fluorescein angiography at the bedside or in theatre, guiding treatment for premature infants with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). ROP affects the most vulnerable babies born before 32 weeks’ gestation, with around 300 infants screened annually in Northern Ireland. Approximately 5% of these require urgent, sight-saving treatment.”

Highlighting the importance of this support, Eibhlín added: “The Children’s Eye Service team is committed to delivering high-quality eye care for every child in Northern Ireland. This generous donation, facilitated by the David Cross Foundation for Peace and Reconciliation, with support from a donor who wishes to remain anonymous, means we can now offer advanced diagnostics on par with the best centres worldwide. We are deeply grateful to Dr Terry Cross OBE for his continued support. To date, equipment to the value of £250,000 has been provided to the Regional Children’s Eye Service through the Foundation, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of paediatric eye care.”

Commenting on the impact of the donation, Dr Terry Cross OBE, patron of the David Cross Foundation for Peace and Reconciliation, adds: “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. I believe this approach delivers better outcomes across the board, whether it relates to eye checks or cancer.

“It is vital that we all remain active in our responsibilities and do what we can. Our health service has been under immense pressure and resources are stretched. If we can support healthcare professionals in delivering the highest standard of care, then we should do so. As a result of this donation, more children across Northern Ireland will benefit from earlier diagnosis, faster access to treatment, and improved long-term outcomes for their vision.”

Dr Terry Cross OBE is a well-respected businessman in Northern Ireland and Patron of the David Cross Foundation for Peace and Reconciliation.

Established in memory of his son, David, the Foundation supports a range of health, Dr Terry Cross OBE, a respected entrepreneur, has supported the delivery of specialist, sight-saving equipment to the Children’s Eye Unit at the Belfast Trust Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH).

The equipment will play a life-changing role for children of all ages, including premature babies, while offering reassurance to their families. The purchase was facilitated by the David Cross Foundation for Peace and Reconciliation and funded by a donor who wishes to remain anonymous.

The Foundation is guided by trustees Rev Dr Stanley Gamble, Rev Dr Bill Shaw OBE and Father Gary Donegan.