Halifax Courier

Dream trip for ‘little fighter’ Lily Jade Turner

- Tom Scargill tom.scargill@jpimedia.co.uk @hxcouriert­om

A HALIFAX family will be jetting off on a dream holiday after their baby survived being born 17 weeks early.

Emma Wyatt and Dom Turner’s little girl Lily Jade Turner weighed only one pound, six ounces when she was born on June 28 after 23 weeks of pregnancy, and immediatel­y encountere­d a series of complicati­ons.

But after coming through a turbulent first few months of her life, Lily and her parents, who live in Southowram, will be jetting off on holiday courtesy of the Black Bull pub in Brighouse, where Emma used to work.

The pub ran a bucket wish list competitio­n in which the family were nominated for a dream getaway.

“We only found out recently so we’re still really shocked, we still can’t believe it,” said Emma.

“We haven’t decided where we’re going to go yet but probably be next year.”

Lily Jade was born at Calderdale Royal Hospital before being transferre­d to Bradford Royal Infirmary.

“It was so hard, unbelievab­ly

it’ll hard,” Emma said. “There have been so many ups and downs.

““She was born with a hole in her heart, a bleed on the brain, she needed blood transfusio­ns, she had infections, her retinas aren’t forming properly, so she’s still got to have her eyes tested.

“But hopefully all those things will be fine. She’s a little fighter.

“Everything was fine up until the day I went into labour.

“I had really bad cramps so we went to the hospital and found out I was in labour.

“I thought she wouldn’t make it, it was horrible, awful. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

“She was so tiny, she was see through. When she was born they gave her oxygen straight away and put her in an incubator. It was touch and go for a while, but she’s here.

“She still looks like she’s a newborn, she’s still so tiny. But she’s definitely her own little character, she pulls all these funny little faces.”

‘She’s still so tiny. But she’s definitely her own little character’ Emma Wyatt

ONLINE: More stories on w w w. halifaxcou­rier.co.uk

 ??  ?? HAPPY FAMILY: Emma Wyatt and Dom Turner, with their baby Lily-Jade
HAPPY FAMILY: Emma Wyatt and Dom Turner, with their baby Lily-Jade
 ??  ?? LITTLE FIGHTER: Lily Jade Turner
LITTLE FIGHTER: Lily Jade Turner

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom