Heart campaigner Ria is marching on
About 100 people are expected to join another march in the fight to save children's heart surgery at Glenfield Hospital on Saturday .
The demonstration is being organised by Ria Pahwa, 14, from Rushey Mead.
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It is the second march the teenager has organised.
A similar event in Syston on August 24 attracted about 70 protesters.
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Campaigners with placards and campaign T-shirts will gather by the Habib Bank, in Belgrave Road, Leicester.
Ria, from Rushey Mead, was born with a serious heart condition and had several heart operations at Glenfield.
She said: "I will not give up until we have saved the children's heart unit.
"People there helped me and I want to help them."
The Soar Valley College pupil is determined to fight a decision to cut the number of hospitals in England providing surgery for children born with heart problems.
The number of heart surgery centres will be cut from 11 to seven, with Glenfield one of those earmarked for closure following an NHS review of the service.
It means children born with heart defects will have to travel to Birmingham for surgery.
The specialist Ecmo machine, which does the work of a patient's heart and lungs when they are seriously ill, is also due to move to Birmingham.
Ria's mother, Vira, said: "If it wasn't for Glenfield Hospital I wouldn't have my daughter.
"I am so proud of her. I don't think she would be here now if the service had not been at Glenfield."
People are also being urged to sign an online petition protesting at the closure.
So far, more than 64,000 people have put their names to it but if it reaches 100,000 it could spark debated in Parliament.
Dharmesh Lakhani, 44, of Bobby's Restaurant, in Belgrave, said: "As citizens of Leicester we feel very strongly about the children's heart unit at Glenfield.
"It is just a shame that we have to fight to save something so good and something we saves so many lives.
"I have known Ria and her family for years and there were times when we didn't know if she would survive.
"It is so heartening to see a young person like here fighting for something like this."
Mr Lakhani, 44, who as an adult discovered he had been born with a heart condition, added: "The scary thing is that if we lose children's heart services we don't know what might go next."
The Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland joint health scrutiny committee is writing to new Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt asking him to reconsider the decision.
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Comments
by lmann01
Friday, September 07 2012, 7:22PM
“What time is the march?”