Northampton family say thank you to ward staff who saved the life of baby born 13 weeks early

Little Theo was born 13 weeks early but, thanks to the care he received at the Gosset Neonatal intensive care ward, he is now celebrating his first birthday.

Mum, Kelly Southernwood, explained why they were holding the family fund-raising event at Parklands Community Centre on Sunday.

“In late March 2015, I was diagnosed with stage 1 cervical cancer while 23 weeks pregnant. Just two days after her first session of chemotherapy a placental abruption caused by the cancer led us to believe that we had lost our son, until the first of many amazing NHS staff came along,” she said.

“A faint heartbeat was detected which prompted the doctors to take instant action. I was taken straight to theatre for a crash “C” section and put to sleep unaware if either me or the baby where going to make it through the surgery.

“Twenty-six hours later I was wheeled to Gosset Neonatal intensive care ward where for the first time I met my son,” she said.

“Theo Jamie Abraham was born 13 weeks early weighing a tiny 1.08kg (2lb6oz) about the same as a bag of sugar. Helpless and attached to so many wires that they all blurred into one. It would be a further eight days before I was finally allowed to hold him.

“For the next ten weeks, the Gosset ward would be Theo’s home. I quite literary cannot put into words how the staff on the Gosset helped my son and family.

“They recognised what I was going through, while helping our eldest son Jayden, who was three at the time, to bond with his brother and to be unafraid of everything that faced him. Without their support and professionalism, things could have gone down a different road.

“The support they give from tea and coffee, clothing, blankets, comfort and after support comes at a financial cost,” she said.

The event at Parklands Community Centre Northampton on Sunday May 1 runs from 11am to 2pm. There will be a raffle with some amazing prizes including worldwide holiday accommodation and many quality electrical items, a tombola, cake stall nd face painting and bouncy castle for the children.