Robyn’s Story
Baby Robyn was born at just 23 weeks and two days into her mum, Chantelle’s, pregnancy weighing just 328g. She spent seven-and-a-half months on a neonatal intensive care unit before being transferred to the paediatric critical care unit at the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales.
During her birth, Robyn’s brain was deprived of oxygen, which caused a condition called Hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE). Robyn was also diagnosed with cerebral palsy, dystonia and infantile spasms.
Because of her incredibly early birth, Robyn also has chronic lung disease and has needed some kind of breathing support for the majority of her life. The levels go up and down depending on how well she is. Because ventilation equipment is usually not mobile, it means that Robyn has only ever known the inside of a hospital.
Recently, thanks to you, the charity was able to fund a new type of non-invasive ventilation device on PCCU called a vapotherm. The new machine, used largely on younger patients, has lots of additional benefits. It has added humidity to help keep small airways clear from secretions and its far quieter than older models, a factor that’s considered very beneficial within an intensive care environment. But it also has another added benefit that is much treasured by Robyn’s parents.
Robyn’s mum, Chantelle, said: “At 11-months-old, Robyn had never been in a pram or even outside. The new vapotherm is portable so we were able to take Robyn for a walk to the hospital garden where she could enjoy fresh air for the first time.
“Being able to do this was a huge achievement, something we could never have done on the older vapothem machine. It was great for us to be able to leave the ward without being restricted by medical equipment.”
It’s thanks to supporters like you that the Noah’s Ark Charity is able to fund state-of-the art equipment that ensures that children being cared for at the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital have access to the most effective treatment available. For Robyn one of these pieces of equipment has not only been vital to her care since birth, it’s also allowed her parents to experience a small piece of normality during a long and difficult year. Thank you.
To find out more about where the money you raise goes, visit: bit.ly/3VP20hA
