Cumbrian couple raise £30,000 for two hospitals
A Cumbrian couple will donate £30,000 to two hospitals in the region that helped save their son's life.
To raise the money Jason and Claire Edgar embarked on a 144-mile bed push from West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven to Newcastle.
The couple's son made a full recovery after being put on a life support machine and undergoing lung surgery.
They will donate the money to West Cumberland Hospital and Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary.
An initial £5,000 has been given to the Retrieval Team Charity which is based at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle and works closely with the paediatric unit at West Cumberland.
They plan to divide the remainder between the two hospitals once all the money from their fund-raising campaign has been collected.
Baby Jorge was taken to the intensive care unit at West Cumberland Hospital as he became progressively poorly and the decision was taken to transfer him to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at the Royal Victoria Infirmary.
Just four days after being born, he was put on a life support machine before being diagnosed with a blood clot.
After having lung surgery, he spent 10 days on a life support machine and five days on a ventilator before being discharged after five weeks.
At 11 months old he has now made a full recovery.
Mr Edgar said: "You cannot put a price on your own child's life and the staff at the two hospitals were amazing."
Iain Johnstone, Consultant Paediatric Intensivist at Newcastle, works closely with the paediatric staff at West Cumberland Hospital in the transfer of children needing specialised and immediate life-saving care.
"Jorge was a very poorly baby. The staff at West Cumberland Hospital ensured that he was stable enough for us to transfer him to Newcastle where Jorge underwent surgery," he said.
"There is excellent teamwork between A&E, Paediatrics and Anaesthetic Departments which is reflected in the good outcome for Jorge and for other children passing through the West Cumberland Hospital recently."