BRADWORTHY GRANDMOTHER Kelly Hudson and her sister Sarah Franks are taking on a 180 mile cycle challenge over 3 days along the Tarka Trail in aid of North Devon District Hospital Special Care Baby Unit and the Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal.
Sarah Franks & Kelly Hudson
Kelly and Sarah’s 180 mile cycle challenge starts on Friday 16 and they aim to finish in Okehampton on Sunday 18 September in a figure of eight route from Barnstaple to Lynmouth and then Barnstaple to Okehampton.
Kelly said “On 28th of December my second grandson Finley was born, he was 3 weeks early 
and gave us all a surprise. When he was 6 days old he was admitted back to the Special Care Baby Unit at North Devon District Hospital with jaundice, he wasn’t feeding properly, he was very limp and a little bit yellow. The Paediatricians assessed him and took some blood tests to deter how jaundice he was and what treatment he would need. When his blood results came back his bilirubin levels were dangerously high and he was taken immediately from his his parents and placed under special blue lights, he then took a turn for the worst and stopped breathing, his heart rate dropped so he was immediately vented to help him breathe and he was placed under sedation. The doctor explained that because his bilirubin levels were so high he could potentially have brain damage and would need to be scanned at a later date. My daughter Chalade Hayes and my son in law Michael Hayes were then transferred to Bristol Royal Hospital for Children where Finley was placed in intensive care with a nurse by his side for 24 hours. From previous tests the doctors had discovered that Finley had contracted sepsis which was very serious, but because the doctors at North Devon District Hospital had already started treating him for that he was responding well to the antibiotics. Over the next 48 hours it was a waiting game to get to the bottom of what had caused this and to get him off the ventilator. It took a few days but then once he started getting better there was no stopping him. When he was in ICU he had a lumbar puncture to test him for meningitis which came back with a positive result, again luckily for Finley and us all, our North Devon District Hospital staff had already started him on treatment for that as well and we were assured that Finley was going to make a good recovery, but would need regular checks. They then scanned his brain and found no brain damage, and then they scanned his heart and found no damage here either. Because sepsis shuts down organs slowly, they all needed to be checked.
After 4 days Finley was transferred back to North Devon District Hospital, and was then discharged 2 days later. The rate of his recovery was unbelievable but without the fantastic work of the staff at both hospitals we dread to think what the outcome could have been. Looking at him now you wouldn’t believe he had been ill, and he has now been discharged of any further appointments.
I’m not just raising money because Finley was poorly, I know many other children that have stayed in these hospitals and some probably owe their life to the doctors and nurses there and I would just like to say a big thank you.”
To support Kelly and her sister log onto https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Kelly-Hudson7
Baby Finley with his brother Mason and parents Chalade Hayes and Michael Hayes
The Special Care Baby Appeal is currently concentrating on raising funds for three neonatal ventilators which cost around £25,000 each. The Draeger ventilator has been trialled in the unit, and this is the ventilator that the clinicians and nursing staff have assessed is needed. The SCBU unit already has ventilators but the equipment is old and the unit currently uses three different machines to get the same result as the Draeger ventilator.
Fundraiser Julie Whitton said “Finley’s story just shows how important ventilators are in the care of our babies at North Devon District Hospital and we can’t thank Kelly and her sister enough for taking on this fantastic challenge. I know, with their help and the help of the people of North Devon we can raise the funds we need to raise over £90,000 to purchase the three Draeger neonatal ventilators that are needed. We can then give our babies, their mothers and their families the very best care and support we can during an emotional and stressful time.“
If you would like to give your support to the hospital charity Over and Above Special Care Baby Unit Appeal or one of our many other departments, or if you want to find out more, please visit; www.overandabove.org.uk, the charity’s Facebook page or contact the North Devon District Hospital Fundraising Team on 01271 311772 or email ndht.charity@nhs.net