A Wirral mum has organised an eight-mile pram push to raise money for the neonatal department in the hospital that saved her son’s life.
Kara Joynson, from Eastham, watched as her new-born son was carried away from her just moments after being born at Arrowe Park Hospital last year. Both she and husband Simon were heartbroken when they saw baby Logan being taken away by staff and placed in the hospital’s special care baby unit.
Logan was born on July 14 2014 with a pleural effusion and meconium – a thick, green, tar-like substance that lines the baby’s intestines – in his airway, meaning he was unable to breathe following a difficult labour.
The 25-year-old mum is raising money for Ickle Pickles – a charity that assists in purchasing equipment, such as incubators and ventilators to help neonatal units. The charity also helps the neonatal units to improve their facilities, so parents, families and friends of babies in their care can experience a welcoming and homely environment.
Kara told JMU Journalism: “The heartache and the worry as Logan was taken away really was indescribable. He spent four days in the special care baby unit receiving treatment and thankfully, despite a difficult start, recovered quickly.
“I think Ickle Pickles do an amazing job helping to fund vital equipment for neonatal units such as incubators and ventilators. The equipment helps to save sick and premature babies’ lives. I have seen how important this equipment was for Logan and I am thankful every day for it and for the skills of the doctors and nurses that helped my son.”
Logan is now eight months old and perfectly healthy. After a few follow-up appointments, he was discharged from the hospital completely in January and now Kara has her sights set firmly on giving something back with the Pram Push on April 4.
It will see both her and Logan travel from Hoylake to New Brighton along the promenade and she is asking for all the money raised to go to the Neonatal Unit at Arrowe Park.
And it’s not just parents with prams who can take part, as everyone is being encouraged to join in, from mum and dads to grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunties and uncles. The mum-of-one added: “Everyone knows how important babies are and the lengths we would go in order to protect the children in our lives.”