Freya, 5, rides off to thank NHS staff who saved ‘miracle baby’

AFIVE-YEAR-OLD girl completed a five-mile scooter ride to raise money for staff at a children’s hospital who saved her ‘miracle baby’ friend.

Freya McKechnie wanted to do something to thank ‘the place that took Millie’s tubes away’.

Millie had to be transferred to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital shortly after she was born where she received life-saving treatment.

Now, at nine weeks old, she is at home with her family in Middleton for the festive period and Freya wanted to help thank the staff who saved her life.

Freya, who is the daughter of Millie’s mum’s best friend, set off on her scooter from her home in Delph to Uppermill.

She rode past her school and then back home - a distance of around five miles.

Before completing the challenge, she told her mum Jenny she wanted to help raise money for ‘the place that took Millie’s tubes away’.

In a poster asking for donations, Freya wrote: “I am raising money for Alder Hey who looked after my friend Millie.

“I’m going to ride my scooter for five miles on December 22.

“Please, please can you give me some money.”

Millie’s mum Jenni Burrows-Maynard told the Observer how her baby had to be transferred to the children’s hospital within just hours of being born.

“When Millie was born

●●Freya McKechnie with the scooter she rode on to thank staff who helped save the life of ‘miracle baby’ Millie (inset) she inhaled meconium,” Jenni said.

“The coated her lungs so when she was born that meant she was struggling to breath and could not get the oxygen she needed.

“She was intubated at North Manchester General Hospital but they did not have the facilities to help her so she was taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.”

Millie had to have

ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) treatment on the intensive care unit. An ECMO machine is similar to a heart-lungbypass machine used for open heartsurgery and takes on the job of the lungs.

“She was on ECMO for a week.

“She was fully sedated and was not moving. It was a really scary time”, Jenni added.

“When she came off this she was transferred to the Royal Oldham for a few weeks.

“She has been home for about four weeks now. She first came home with a feeding tube but now she is feeding her bottle and is like a normal, chatty nine-week-old baby.

“She will be under consultant care and will be monitored.

“There is no doubt that she would not be here without the ECMO.”

When Millie came home, Jenni asked people on Facebook to donate to the Alder Hey Children’s Charity for her birthday.

Her friends and family held raffles and fundraisers to help the cause.

When Freya saw everything that people were doing to help, she wanted to join in too.

So far, her scooter ride has raised more than £800 for the charity.