Craig
Baby Craig, from Liverpool, has been in hospital all of his life.
Craig was born 13 weeks and 4 days premature. Babies who are born extremely premature need support for all of their organs. Craig has had lots of problems with his lungs and his bowels. He has chronic lung disease and has spent a lot of time on the neonatal ward at both Liverpool Women’s Hospital and Alder Hey. Craig is very susceptible to infections and has had to overcome meningitis and sepsis as well as having numerous operations and procedures. This meant that he had to be transferred on 7 occasions between both hospitals as the neonatal expertise to look after him was only on one site at any one time. In the future, babies like Craig will only have to move once to Alder Hey Hospital once with the neonatal expertise being share across both sites.
Craig is likely to be in hospital until he turns one so his body can get stronger and his lungs can develop. Mum Joy, said that the care she has received at Liverpool Women’s Hospital Neonatal and Alder Hey has been ‘‘absolutely amazing, they can’t do enough for you’’.
Joy continued
“Craig has two older brothers, aged 8 and 10, who only met him recently due to current visiting restrictions. Craig is now too old for the neonatal unit but the proposed new enhancements sound incredible. Spending so much time at hospital means the staff, doctors, nurses, porters, kitchen staff etc become your family, the hospital - a home. The enhancements would mean keeping families together, in a place they feel comfortable, safe and entertained until the day they go home.”
Craig is featured in our new Neonatal Campaign and is part of the JOHNSON’S® Baby promotion with special packs available in retailers for a limited period. Our Neonatal Campaign is raising funds to help create a wonderful environment for parents in our new Surgical Neonatal Unit at Alder Hey, allowing families to stay even closer to their newborns during their care.