REVOLUTIONARY new equipment has been donated to Birmingham Women’s Hospital thanks to Bromsgrove charity Libby Mae’s Little Angels teaming up with fellow ‘angel’ parents Jemma and Simon Phelps.
Jemma and Simon were left devastated when they lost their son Joshua ten weeks after he was born.
They were determined to celebrate the time they shared and as Joshua was a real fighter they were inspired to complete the Warwickshire Spring Triathlon.
Jemma said: “The training actually helped provide Simon and I with a focus for the difficult months after he died – nature’s therapy of exercise, fresh air and sun on our backs helped give us time to start to heal and also lots of reflective time together to remember and talk about our little soldier.”
The day itself, supported by their families, went better than expected and, with photographs of Joshua taped to their bikes to keep them motivated they crossed the line.
There was plenty of tears and celebratory high-fives for ‘Team Phelps’ and an incredible £8,575.75 was collected.
The pair had heard about Libby Mae’s Little Angels before and one of the nurses at the Women’s Hospital told them more about the good work the charity did for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), where Joshua spent most of his life.
Charlotte and Richard from Libby Mae’s Little Angels explained if they joined forces they would be able to use the funds raised to pay for essential medical equipment which could have helped babies born prematurely or sick like Joshua and Libby Mae.
After much discussion Jemma, Simon and Libby Mae’s Little Angels will be buying an Infant View Larygoscope which costs £16,000 and helps neonatal staff safely introduce breathing apparatus to tiny babies (intubation).
Jemma added: “As with many babies in the neonatal ward, Joshua’s journey had ups and downs.
“On several occasions when he wasn’t doing so well, he would require breathing support and staff would have to intubate him – a worrying and stressful time for us as mum and dad and a distressing process for Joshua.
“We know Joshua would have benefited from this equipment and take some comfort from the the fact that other babies will benefit.”
Charlotte from Libby Mae’s Little Angels who founded the charity with her husband Richard when they lost Libby Mae said being contacted by The Phelps and their fund-raising brought similar comfort to them.
Dr Matt Nash from Birmingham Women’s Hospital said the video-laryngoscope was an essential piece of kit to improve the care and safety of babies.
“It will help with teaching junior medical staff not only on our unit, but across the West Midlands, how to intubate safely and effectively by allowing fine adjustment of techniques using the video screen.
“With increasing evidence supporting the new method of administering medicine into the lungs of premature babies, this equipment will support the safe administration of this without the standard method of using a large and invasive endotracheal tube.”
The equipment also enables clearer views of the airwaves, helping staff in trickier situations and allowing doctors to be more involved and assist.
The procedure can also be recorded for reference with future cases.
“I am very excited to have this equipment, and it will positively impact patient care and potential save lives,” added Jemma.
