Family raise superb sum for unit that saved son’s life

A group of fundraisers have brought in an incredible £2,902 to support the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Heartlands Hospital following an epic fundraising challenge.

Back in February 2019, Shannon Slattery was pregnant with her son, Oscar. Shannon said: “I had the perfect pregnancy with no worries at all. I was induced as I was two weeks over my due date. After two days of being induced I finally had the opportunity to give birth to my boy when everything got complicated.”

Oscar had shoulder dystocia which meant that he was stuck for 11 minutes, leaving his brain starved of oxygen. When he was born he wasn’t breathing and had to be resuscitated.

He was rushed down to intensive care at City Hospital before being transferred to Heartlands Hospital for cooling treatment.

Shannon said: “This is everyone’s worst nightmare. The next 48 hours were critical for Oscar. We are parents did not know if he would make it, it was the hardest thing of our lives.”

Oscar whilst in hospital, and Oscar more recently.

Oscar was diagnosed with Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE), a type of brain damage that occurs when a baby’s brain doesn’t receive enough oxygen and blood, and doctors suspected that he also had cerebral palsy.

Oscar spent the next two weeks at Heartlands Hospital, Shannon said: “He had the best care we possibly could ask for. After the worst two weeks of our lives we got to take our little boy home, it was such an amazing feeling.”
Ellis, Oscar’s dad, decided that he wanted to do something to raise money for the unit that had saved their son’s life.

He got 15 of his friends together and arranged a day of trekking in the Aran Mountains in Wales.
The team completed their challenge on 13 July and together raised an incredible £2,902. Shannon, Ellis and baby Oscar made the trip back to Heartlands Hospital to present the cheque to the staff who treated their baby on the unit.

Ellis and his friends during the trek.

Shannon said: “Oscar is out little superhero! He has overcome so many obstacles already and we couldn’t be prouder of him. He still continues to fight and we still have a long road ahead of us be we will try our hardest to make sure he has the best life.”

Sian Averill, Fundraising Manager at Heartlands Hospital Charity, said: “Huge thanks goes to Ellis, Shannon and all of the wonderful people who took part in the challenge or who donated. The money that you have all raised will help Heartlands Hospital Charity to continue to provide the very best care for babies like Oscar who need the expert attention of staff on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.”

Heartlands Hospital Charity is currently raising funds to provide new, state-of-the-art incubators for tiny babies at Heartlands Hospital. Find out more and donate here.