The first phase of the hospital was financed by from funds raised by the Noah's Ark Appeal, which had been founded in May 2000, together with some support from the Welsh Assembly Government.

[1] The appeal patrons included Dame Shirley Bassey, who was born in Cardiff, Charlotte Church and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

[1] The first phase, which was designed by Boyes Rees and built by Laing O'Rourke at a cost of £10 million,[2] was officially opened by Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas in June 2006.

[7] The second phase of the hospital, which was designed by Boyes Rees and built by Interserve at a cost of £64 million,[8] was opened by First Minister Carwyn Jones in May 2015.

[9] New facilities included five operating theatres, the new paediatric intensive care unit, a new hydrotherapy pool, and an "open" MRI scanner.