LONDON
Leicester City’s late owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha’s generous donations to children’s health care are to be honoured by having his name attached to the intensive care units at the local hospital, the Premier League club announced on Tuesday.
Vichai – who was killed along with four others in a helicopter crash shortly after taking off from Leicester’s stadium in October last year – made several donations including £2 million ($2.6 million) toward Leicester Hospitals Charity’s Children’s Hospital Appeal following the club’s historic Premier League title win in 2016.
“Leicester Hospitals Charity has confirmed that both the Children’s Intensive Care Unit (CICU) and the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at the Leicester Royal Infirmary will be designated ‘The Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha Children’s Intensive Care Unit’, in honour of the late Chairman,” read a statement from the club.
“The new Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha Children’s Intensive Care Units will be consolidated at the Leicester Royal Infirmary’s Kensington Building as part of an ambitious plan to create the East Midlands’s first dedicated children’s hospital where all children’s services will be located under one roof, separate from adult services.”
Leicester City Vice Chairman Apichet Srivaddhanaprabha, son of Vichai, said it was a great honour for his family.
“This is a very proud moment for my family,” said Apichet.
“My father always supported Leicester’s communities because he believed in giving back to the people that have given so much to us.
“Our family, Leicester City Football Club and the Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha Foundation intend to honour my father’s legacy by continuing to support those communities in the same spirit.”