Story
Quite often it is very personal, why people choose to raise money for charity, and my reasons are no exception.
At 5 months old, our daughter was lucky enough to catch a cold, which highlighted severe breathing difficulties, which, without the cold to bring them to our attention, would have eventually proved fatal, as the oxygen demands of a growing baby increase rapidly within the first year of their lives.
She was rushed into hospital and was several weeks in Intensive Care. Investigations could not discover why her condition prevailed. A detailed scan showed a heart and trachea abnormality. They told us that things didn’t look good. They said that there was a chance that she could be treated elsewhere. She was transferred to Birmingham Children’s Hospital and after further consultation we were told that although they could perform the heart operation, they could not complete the trachea surgery that was needed to save her life.
It was decided that she would be transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital, where Professor Martin Elliot had been contacted. Professor Elliot, was due to be going to Philadelphia to lecture on the very state-of-the-art procedure that our daughter needed.
We were given no guarantees, as the procedure was groundbreaking at the time. Quite bluntly, we were told that she had more chance on the operating table than on the bed that she lay in. We had no choice. She had to have the operation and the chance to survive.
We were the luckiest parents alive; the operation was a complete success. She had her trachea rebuilt to give her the ability to take in more oxygen. This involved heart by-pass surgery at 5 months old. The recovery was slow, but the worst was over.
Darcey is now nearly 9 years old and is a thoroughly active young girl, doing all of the things that every other 9 year old does. We have visited Great Ormond Street many times so that Darcey could have regular check ups; the last time we went we were told that her progress was such that they didn’t need to see us for another 3 years. We are delighted.
It may be that she may need surgery again, it may not; this is a question that cannot be answered as anyone who underwent this procedure hasn’t reached maturity yet. What we do know is that we have our daughter with us today, and nothing could make us happier. We are eternally grateful to the skill and dedication of the Tracheal team at Great Ormond Street.
I’d love to raise as much money as I can for Great Ormond Street, to give something back – although I could never, ever give enough - and so that other families can have the chance to be as lucky as we are.
That’s why I’m doing this cycle ride.
Please give what you can – it will make a difference.
Also, if it is appropriate, could you please pass the link on to as many people that you know as you can, as this can support the aim to raise as much money as possible.
Mark.