A Middlesbrough mother has raised almost £1,000 in gratitude for the James Cook neonatal unit support that helped her premature son survive his first weeks of life. The fundraising effort followed a dramatic birth in July when Amber Webster went into labour nearly nine weeks early, believing at first she was experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions.
Amber attended the hospital maternity triage at 6am and was sent home at midday. Only hours later the 29 year old suddenly felt the urge to push. Her husband Josh Webster immediately phoned 111 and was talked through the process while an ambulance was sent to the house.
After 15 minutes on the phone their son Jude arrived two minutes before paramedics reached the door. Born weighing just 3lb 6oz, he was wrapped in towels and placed in what Amber described as a “foil bag” to keep him warm before being rushed to hospital.
She said: “We were rushed into the back of the ambulance and taken straight to James Cook’s maternity unit. I remember looking over and seeing him in a foil bag with little slits in it, all we could see were his eyes.” The family were taken directly to the James Cook neonatal unit support team where Jude remained for 22 days.
As a first time mother with no previous experience of neonatal care, Amber quickly learned how the ward operated. She watched as Jude moved between bays as his condition improved and became familiar with the routine of the staff and other families.
“Over the weeks it was amazing to see him moving through the room numbers,” she said. During his stay Jude struggled with feeding because babies born so early have not yet learned how to swallow. He was helped with a feeding tube and gradually gained weight while breathing well throughout.
Amber praised the compassion of the James Cook neonatal unit support nurses and doctors. She said: “I can’t thank the neonatal team enough; it was like a little family. You see the same nurses, and even when they were on a different rota, they would still pop their head in to see how we were doing.”
One nurse named Andrea taught Amber how to breastfeed and helped her feel confident before Jude was allowed home. The parents often stayed from early morning until the early hours depending on how their son was doing.
She added: “We’d be there from early morning and sometimes until 2am, depending on if Jude was having a good day. I never once felt like I was intruding. Leaving him was the hardest, but every single person in the unit went above and beyond and made us and Jude feel special.”
The unit parent app became another lifeline when the couple could not be at the hospital. It sent updates and photographs of feeds and nappy changes so they could feel involved. “I’m so grateful we had that,” she said.
The day Jude was finally discharged remains vivid for the family. “It was so special. Jude, like the other babies, was given a little graduation hat and his name went on the NICU graduate’s wall.” Now thriving at home, he is described as a happy baby and a reminder of the value of James Cook neonatal unit support.
Amber said: “Every single person went above and beyond, he’s where his is today because of them.” Wanting to give something back, she and colleagues at Hays Travel Redcar organised a charity coach trip to York to raise funds for the unit through Our Hospitals Charity.
Ticket sales, bingo games and raffle prizes donated by local businesses brought in an impressive £900. Louise Dixon, branch manager for Hays Travel Redcar, said the event was chosen because of the care shown to Amber and her family.
She said: “Each year, we hold a charity event to support a cause close to our hearts, and this time we chose the neonatal unit. The care Amber, our assistant manager, and her family received was exceptional. We’re delighted they’re doing so well. We will always be grateful for the compassion, expertise and support provided during such a critical time.”
Money raised through Our Hospitals Charity has helped families in many practical ways as part of the wider James Cook neonatal unit support. Donations have created a calm outdoor space where parents can take a break from the ward and have supported special days in hospital such as Easter, Mother’s and Father’s Days and Christmas.
The charity has also provided keepsakes for families of babies who have sadly passed away and helped refurbish family rooms. Funding has paid for Mini Boos, small comfort blankets used to help bonding and milk production by transferring scents between parent and baby. Support has also enabled the vCreate video messaging service which allows staff to send pictures and updates to reduce separation anxiety.
For Amber and her family these gestures have lasting meaning. The success of the fundraiser shows how strongly the community values the James Cook neonatal unit support that guided Jude through his first fragile weeks.
