Mayor’s hospital hope
CHILDREN given lifesaving medical treatment at Ormskirk Hospital’s neo-natal unit met the Mayor of West Lancashire, Cllr Liz Savage, when she visited the hospital.
Cllr Savage is aiming to raise £52,000 during her Mayoral year to be split between four worthy causes, the neo-natal unit, the Birchwood Centre, The Artz Centre, in Birch Green and The Civic, in Ormskirk.
She visited the neonatal unit to see first-hand the work that the dedi- cated staff carry out and meet some of the children and parents that they have helped.
The 12-cot unit provides specialist, lifesaving care and treatment 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to babies born prematurely or who are ill after birth.
The unit is staffed by dedicated nurses and doctors who support and work together with the family to provide excellent care.
Jo Denton was so grateful for the treatment staff gave to her children Robynne, now 12, and Dillon, seven, that she set up Tender Hearts to raise money for the unit and the charity Bliss.
Robynne was born 14 weeks premature, weighing 1lb 14oz, Dillon was 12 weeks early, weighing 2lb 15oz. Both had serious health problems.
Jo said: “We will forever be grateful to the unit and its amazing staff, without which we wouldn’t or couldn’t have got through everything.”
Another child the mayor met was threeyear-old Theo Graham, whose mum, Emma, also does fundraising for the unit.
She said: “Theo was born 10 weeks premature and weighed 2lb 8oz. The staff were absolutely fantastic on the neo-natal unit and without them Theo wouldn’t be here today.”
Jo Carr, whose daughter, Elsie, was born 11 weeks early, weighing less than 3lb, said: “The team provided my husband Sam and I with love and support and helped us through possibly the worst experience of our lives. All the staff are dedicated and give 100% to care for your little bundle of joy.”
Cllr Savage said: “As a mum-of-two, it was a really emotional experience for me to meet the children and hear the stories from their parents about their traumatic experiences of having a baby that so desperately needed intensive medical attention.
“I was also very pleased to meet the staff who really are lifesavers and this has inspired me to try even harder to raise money.”
Expensive incubators, monitors and infusion pumps are all used by unit staff to give babies the treatment they need.
Cllrr Savage is keen to raise enough money so all the charities can receive the same amount.
She would like to be able to raise enough for an incubator for the neonatal unit, which would cost £13,000.
Events she is working on with her charity committee over the next few months include:
October 8 - Fashion Show at The Civic. Noon – 5pm. Tickets, £6, from CD Music Academy 01695 821755;
October 8 – Rising Stars UK Night at the Oscars – Tickets, £7.50, from CD Music Academy 01695 821755;
November 4 – 1980s Civic Disco – Tickets, £5, from Ann England on 01695 585033.
If you can help with auction, raffle or bingo prizes, contact Ann England on 01695 585033.