A mum has recalled how her premature baby girl fought for her life - and how she feared the worst when she stopped breathing.
Sydney-Rose Keating arrived by emergency caesarean at just 28 weeks after her mother, Tate, 30, became dangerously unwell.
The tiny baby remained in an incubator at Basildon Hospital for three weeks before she was diagnosed with necrotising enterocolitis – a deadly disease that causes the bowel to inflame and die.
She was then rushed to The Rosie Hospital in Cambridge, over 90 minutes from their home in Basildon.
The Sick Children’s Trust supported Tate and her eight -year-old daughter, Kacey-Jo, with free Home from Home accommodation at its Chestnut House, located just below the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) where Sydney Rose fought for her life.
Tate also received support from The Sick Children’s Trust at its Home from Home Stevenson House when Sydney-Rose was treated at The Royal London Children’s Hospital.
She can’t praise the services enough.
She said: “Three weeks after Sydney-Rose was discharged home following her necrotising enterocolitis and disaster struck once again.
“My baby stopped breathing.
“It was terrifying.
“This time she was transferred by the Children’s Acute Transport Service (CATS) to The Royal London Children’s Hospital and admitted onto the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU).
“The Sick Children’s Trust came to my rescue once again and they gave me a room at Stevenson House, another ‘Home from Home’ just minutes from my daughter’s bedside.
“Irma, the Assistant House Manager, was very welcoming and supportive when I arrived at Stevenson House. I was completely distraught that my daughter was back in hospital – and her kindness meant so much to me at that time.”
Since leaving The Royal London Children’s Hospital Sydney-Rose has needed further hospital treatment and was recently diagnosed with a muscle condition.
She will need further tests, continuous physio and child developmental support, but her mum said knowing she can stay in Home from Home accommodation is one less thing to worry about.
It is free for parents to stay in the accommodation, but costs the charity £30 per night.
For further information, visit sickchildrenstrust.org/
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here