'It allowed us to be with Jack around the clock. It was a lifesaver'

HULL MUM WALKS 50 MILES TO GIVE BACK TO CHARITY THAT HELPED HER DURING NEWBORN SON'S EMERGENCY SURGERY

- By LAURA CROSS

A MUM from Hull has finished a 50-mile walk challenge in aid of a charity that supported her when her newborn son needed lifesaving surgery.

Gemma Graham took on The Sick Children’s Trust Long Walk Home challenge, covering 50 miles throughout June. She said she wanted to raise vital funds after the charity provided her with a ‘home from home’ when her son required specialist surgery.

Her son Jack was delivered by emergency caesarean section after doctors discovered his umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck. A short time later, he was unable to keep any feeds down and was diagnosed with an anorectal malfunction.

Jack needed emergency surgery in Sheffield to have a stoma fitted. After the successful procedure, Gemma and Alun began desperately searching for a hotel close to the hospital.

Staff at Sheffield Children’s Hospital arranged for both parents to stay with The Sick Children’s Trust at its ‘Home from Home’, Magnolia House. Just a short walk from Jack's bedside, Magnolia House meant Gemma could stay close to her baby, rather than travel the hour-long journey from their home in Hull each day.