Noah's Ark Appeal Patron Catherine Zeta Jones and her husband Michael Douglas have visited the Children's Hospital for Wales to meet with patients and families and to support our latest campaign.

The Hollywood couple returned to the Hospital they officially opened in 2006 to show their support and help boost fundraising efforts as the Noah's Ark Appeal campaigns to raise £7m for phase two of the Children's Hospital for Wales.

After touring the wards and spending time with patients Catherine said "I know how important it is to have a designated children's hospital here.I'll do as much as I can to help. I'm so proud of all the staff and doctors who have worked so hard.

"And just walking round the hospital with Michael today, to see the relief and gratitude on the parents' faces as they take care of their little ones, I thank you all for doing such a wonderful job."

She added: "It's hard to believe there was never a designated children's hospital in our country [Wales]."

Michael Douglas said a children's hospital was a "necessity" for Wales.

He said he found the nurturing offered by the staff to the children at the hospital, and the parents, was "quite stunning".

He said: "I think Wales should be very excited about the future in the terms of the children's hospital - I think it's going to come a long way, to continue.

The first phase of the project included two 25-bed medical wards and one 16-bed paediatric cancer ward.

It cost £9m to deliver, with £4.5m provided by the assembly government and £4.5m raised by Noah's Ark.

The hospital's second phase will have operating theatres, a teenage cancer unit, an eye clinic and a private garden for patients and their families.

The £54.3m unit is being funded by the assembly government while its running costs will be met by local health boards and Health Commission Wales.

In addition, Noah's Ark has committed to raising £7m to support equipment, including an MRI scanner and vital equipment for the new intensive care unit.

The £1.5m scanner has no sides, meaning a parent can lie next to their child during the scan, minimising the need for sedation.

The demolition will begin in January 2011 with the main construction starting in August 2011. It is hoped the full development will be completed in 2014.