On April 29th, our lives changed in an instant when our son River accidentally spilled a cup of freshly boiled peppermint tea on himself. We performed first aid at home, immediately stripping him of his pyjamas and putting him under cold running water for 20 minutes and dialled 999. He was rushed to hospital with burns covering 9% of his body.

He was later that night transferred to the Children’s Burns Ward at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford. At first, his burns were believed to be superficial and likely to heal within two weeks. But three days later, his wounds worsened. Burns can take up to 48 hours to show their full extent.

After 3 days he was discharged, that same night River developed a dangerously high temperature—a potential sign of infection or toxic shock. The next day, he rapidly declined, and we rushed him back to Broomfield where he stayed another four nights. During this time, he was taken to theatre to have his wounds cleaned under general anaesthetic. There’s still a chance he may need a skin graft on his arm.

We weren’t sure about sharing this story—it’s been emotional and deeply personal. But if something good can come from this, whether that’s raising awareness, helping prevent other accidents, or supporting an amazing burns unit, then it’s worth every word.

The care we received from the team at Broomfield was nothing short of exceptional. The doctors, nurses, and staff helped us through some of the scariest days of our lives, and we want to give back.

We are raising money to:

* Buy items from the ward’s Amazon Wishlist

* Donate toys and ride-on cars that help comfort young patients

* Replace some of the worn-out play equipment that made such a difference to our stay

Every day, up to 30 children are admitted to burns units due to scalds from hot drinks. Burns can worsen (become deeper) if the person is fithhting a viral infection, which is what happened to River. The inly thing that should be applied to a burn is cool running water, this does not need to be freesing.

Please help us support this incredible ward and raise awareness about how quickly these accidents can happen.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

With love,

Joey, Emma, Ava, and River