Our first Christmas with son who beat the odds

ALEXANDER JONES: Parents were told he had only a 50 per cent chance of survival. A COUPLE who were told their premature baby son had only a 50 per cent chance of survival say they are looking forward to their first Christmas with him at home.

Alexander Jones, who is now one year old, weighed 2lb 6oz when he was born at just 27 weeks.

His parents, Daniel and Vicky Jones, were told he had a 50 per cent chance of survival and a 50 per cent chance of something going wrong if he did survive, according to The Sick Children’s Trust.

Now they are supporting a charity fundraiser to provide places for families of sick children to stay when they are in hospital. Alexander spent last Christmas seriously ill in hospital but Mr and Mrs Jones, from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, say they are now looking forward to a first Christmas at home with their son.

Mr Jones said the ordeal of Alexander’s first few weeks of life in Leeds General Infirmary was eased when he was able to access “Home from Home” accommodation provided by The Sick Children’s Trust.

Now the couple are supporting the charity’s Christmas appeal. Mr Jones said: “Having your child in hospital really takes its toll.

“When you’re not worried about whether your child will survive, you become worried about everything else that’s making them poorly.”

Mr Jones, who works for Lloyds Banking Group, said he had to leave his son and wife every night for the first few weeks as there was nowhere for him to stay.

He said he faced a 40-minute journey each way and then an effort to find parking in Leeds. The Sick Children’s Trust said it expects that every room across its 10 Homes from Home will be full this Christmas.

The charity’s appeal – My Christmas Wish – aims to raise £13,230, the amount needed to run the Home from Homes over the festive period.

Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/campaign/ mychristmaswish or by calling 020 7638 4066.