On 24th July 2021, a group of ladies (Debb Dennis, Liz Parsons, Helen Smith, Tracey Holtham, Claire Harwood, Julia Shilton, Sarah Hughes, Jane Smedley, Julie Bird and myself) are are walking 26 miles of the Heart of England Way to raise funds for Wards 11 and 12 of the Birmingham Children's Hospital.

My grandson, Hudson John-Brian Pirrie, was rushed into BCH in August 2020 in severe heart failure, where he was admitted to the children's intensive care unit.

He was diagnosed with Dilated Cardiomyopathy and his mummy and daddy (Beth and Ryan) were told that the first 48 hours were critical as to whether or not he would survive. 

Hudson was placed on medication to help his heart pump and also fed by an NG (Nasogastric) tube to stop his heart having to work so hard. He was then moved to Ward 11 where he continued with his IV medication (milrinone). 

BNP (Brain Natriuretic Peptide) levels go up when the heart can not pump the way it should.  A BNP result of greater than 100 pg/ml is abnormal.  The higher the number, the more likely heart failure is present and the more severe it is.  Hudson's BNP was 35,000 when he was admitted; dangerously high.  After a few weeks on the ward, it started to show slight improvement, sitting between 18,000 and 23,000.

However, he then caught Rhinovirus (common cold) and his BNP was back at 35,000, he was struggling to breathe again and his echos showed his heart function had worsened.

Hudson was immediately placed on the urgent heart transplant list which meant that his stay in hospital was going to be much longer than we first expected.

When Beth first found out that she was pregnant, one of the things she was most looking forward to was taking Hudson to a pumpkin patch.  This wasn't possible with him being in hospital but, that didn't stop the staff from going out of their way to surprise her with her very own, hospital style, pumpkin patch complete with a very cute little pumpkin!

They didn't stop at Halloween. Hudson's first Christmas and his first birthday were also spent in hospital on wards 11 and 12 where the staff helped decorate his rooms to make it as homely as possible. It's the little things like this that make the experience in hospital for families, like ours, that little bit easier. The arts and crafts, the games, the seasonal decorations, the care and the love shown is what make the staff so special.

They go out of their way to put smiles on the faces of all these little heart warriors, even on their toughest of days and that is why my friends and I would like to raise funds to enable both wards to purchase equipment such as games, toys, highchairs, pushchairs and other things to enhance the hospital experience for children like Hudson.

Birmingham Children's Hospital and Charity: Birmingham Children's Hospital Charity (bch.org.uk)