Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation ( ECMO) is a modern invasive life-support technique which can be used in patients with severe respiratory (lungs) and cardiac (heart) failure. In 1989 this technique was not used in Great Britain. The general belief among leading British specialists was that there was no place for ECMO in this country. In spite of this Mr R K Firmin, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Decided to introduce it to the Groby Road Hospital. The treatment is expensive, labour intensive and financial support from the NHS was out of the question due to the previously mentioned attitude of British experts. Mr Firmin approached Heart link to support the introduction of an ECMO programme. Mr Firmin and Dr Sosnowski learned the technique on visiting the University of Michigan where Prof. Bartlett, the father of ECMO, had developed the leading ECMO Centre. Since November 1998 the Heart Link ECMO Centre ( this is the official name of the ECMO programme) has treated numerous patients , not only babies but older children and even adults . The Heart link ECMO Centre is now known world-wide as a very successful Unit. Although , ECMO is now financed by the NHS there is still enormous input from Heart Link by their continued support to help fund the ECMO research programme, fund medical and nursing staff to attend scientific meetings and teaching sessions, plus purchasing new equipment needed to ensure that the highest and most modern standard of care is given to all those patients requiring ECMO treatment.