Flo’s story

This is Flo, who’s been a patient here at the hospital since birth. Flo has been though a lot in her seven short years, but thanks to people like you, her life is made a little easier.

Flo’s journey began shortly after her seemingly normal birth when her dad, Ben, an oncology nurse, noticed she was unusually unsettled on her first night home. Her concerned parents took her to their local hospital where, after being diagnosed with a suspecting bowel blockage, she was blue-lighted to the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales.

What followed was a rollercoaster of challenges. Flo underwent major surgery to resolve the bowel blockage, leaving her with a stoma. Her first Christmas was spent in the hospital fighting off sepsis and E. coli. She was also diagnosed with a duplex kidney and genetic testing later revealed that Flo had cystic fibrosis, a life-altering diagnosis that causes sticky mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive system. This causes lung infections and problems with digesting food but also explained the root cause of the bowel blockage, which is common in children with cystic fibrosis.

Flo spent the first year and a half of her life in and out of hospital. For her parents, it felt like living in a revolving door, with Flo enduring 17 surgeries by the time she was just two years old. These included procedures on her bowel and kidneys, and the insertion of central lines and ports.

It’s a lot to cope with anyone and understandably over the years, Flo has become frightened of the many procedures she has to endure.

But thanks to the ongoing supporter of people like you, the Noah’s Ark Charity is able to fund the wonderful the play team who help children to overcome their fears and prepare them for upcoming procedures. Flo’s play worker in the outpatients department is Sharon.

Mum, Rebecca, said: “Sharon has played a crucial role in supporting Flo. She has worked closely with her to help overcome her fear of medical procedures by preparing her and explaining them in a child-friendly and centred way. Sharon will come into the bloods room and talk Flo through the process. We’ve worked hard to figure out how Flo operates and Sharon has really tailored her support for fit her. She’s been fantastic.”

“When we spent three and a half months as inpatients , Sian, our play worker on Owl ward, made sure Flo had plenty of engaging activities to pass the time on the long hospital days, from arts and crafts to games. These moments of normality were so important to us and we’re so grateful to them both for all their help and support.”

Flo’s most recent surgery was a huge milestone for her family as it involved removing a large portion of her bowel so that her stoma could be successfully reversed. Today, Flo continues her journey of care, attending cystic fibrosis clinics at the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital every eight weeks. Having visited most wards at Noah’s Ark at one time or another, Flo’s resilience and character has touched the hearts of countless members of the hospital team.

Stories like Flo’s drive our commitment to funding not just life-saving care, but emotional and holistic support too. With the help of the incredible play team members like Sharon and Sian, your donations help us to ensure that children like Flo and their families have the support they need at each point in their journey.