Celebrations for Miracle Miles
A generous Norfolk family is raising money for Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Buxton Children’s ward as they hold a 1st birthday party for little miracle Miles Skinner.
Miles was born six weeks early via Caesarean-section at 34 weeks at NNUH after severe ascites was discovered at 29 weeks. Weighing 7lb 4oz when born, it is believed 2lb of the weight was fluid which needed to be drained from Miles’ abdomen. Nearly a pint of the fluid was drained before Miles even entered the world.
Miles spent nearly the first three weeks of his life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit before going on to spend seven and a half weeks on Buxton ward where it was discovered Miles not only had the condition chylous ascites, a rare form of ascites (fluid in the abdomen) where the body cannot break down and absorb fat and instead collects in the body, but was also allergic to cows milk protein preventing him from being able to have breast or standard formula milks. The pressure of the fluid caused the tiny tot to be born with two hernias.
Miles was unable to be fed with any milk at all for more than six weeks and during this period on Buxton ward he required special liquid feeding directly into his bloodstream to help the abdominal swelling to resolve while helping him to develop and gain weight. At 12 weeks old Miles was finally able to go home on a special milk feed to be with the rest of his family, Mum Stacey, Dad Chris and older brother Toby.
Stacey Skinner, mother of Miles, said: “When Miles was born we weren’t sure what was in store and we didn't think new born gifts were appropriate. Instead we believed donating to the ward where he was cared for was much more fitting after we had seen how hard the staff work and we cannot thank foetal medicine and NICU enough.”
Miles is now approaching his first birthday and is a happy and content toddler. Although on a strict low fat, non-cows protein diet, Miles socialises with other NICU babies and will continue to develop with the aid of the paediatric and neonatal medical teams at NNUH.
The previous donation made by the Skinner family at Christmas to NICU and the Fetal Medicine Fund was more than £2,000.
Emma Dolman, Matron of NNUH Buxton ward said: “We are very grateful to the Skinner family for thinking of us in their 1st birthday plans. We are really pleased to see Miles progressing well and any charitable funds received will go towards making the environment friendlier for our younger visitors such as Miles.”
Readers are welcome to donate to Miracle Miles’ fund at http://www.justgiving.com/Milesfirstbirthday
NICU and Buxton Children’s Ward are both part of the hospital charity. If you would like to do any fundraising for the hospital please contact NNUH fundraising manager Louise Cook on Louise.Cook@nnuh.nhs.uk who can advise.