Pair of Amesbury families join Stars Appeal Walk for Wards
Over 2000 people will be walking the routes at Wilton House this weekend
Two families from Amesbury are taking part in this weekend’s Walk for Wards.
Walk for Wards is the biggest event of the year for Salisbury District Hospital (SDH) charity, Stars Appeal.
Over 2000 people have signed up to walk the grounds of Wilton House, with three routes available.
Teenager with CF walking 10km route
Vicki Nash-Steer, her daughter Hannah and Vicki's partner Wayne, have signed up for the 10km route, which takes in the woodlands around Wilton House and they’re raising money for Sarum Children’s Unit.
Hannah has suffered from Cystic Fibrosis since she was a baby, being diagnosed at just 18 days old. The condition, which makes it more difficult to fight illnesses such as colds, has meant Hannah has had many stays in hospital.
And with the condition meaning contact with others needs to be minimal, Vicki praised the staff at SDH for making Hannah’s stays less isolating.
She said: “They are an amazing team. Having the play specialist go in, do stuff with her, provide equipment that she can have in her room for the time she's there just makes it a bit easier for her.”
Hannah doesn’t let her illness get the better of her, as she is able to lead a normal life and play sport, her favourite being football.
And while hospital stays aren’t necessarily fun, Hannah told us about the efforts the staff have gone to in making her stays as engaging as possible.
“The nurses know me very well, they're all just like a second family and they have a play specialist who will come round and just, like, do fun things with you and we get on really well. I think just knowing that I can do something fun instead of just sitting in the hospital bed all day.”
Donations can be made to Vicki's page here.
Mum walking for Neonatal Unit who supported premature birth
When Hayley Howell’s son Fletcher was born 11 weeks early late last year, he stayed with the Neonatal Unit at Salisbury Hospital.
And of course, no new mum wants to be apart from her baby – so in stepped Stars Appeal and their accommodation.
“We spent just over two months on the Neonatal Unit and stayed in the parents’ accommodation,” Hayley explained, “We kept saying we completely understand if we need to go but there was never any question about us having to go.”
When baby Fletcher caught a common cold at two weeks old, his life was at risk, and there was no more perilous moment than when he stopped breathing because he was so small.
“I was there on my own and remember the staff comforting me. They were so caring about us as parents as well as looking after our baby.”
Not only did Stars Appeal provide accommodation during Hayley and partner David’s stay, the charity also helped ease stress caused by having a baby in the Neonatal Unit.
Free aromatherapy sessions, which Hayley called a “God send” were provided, while Stars Appeal Live musicians performed lullabies for the babies.
Thankfully, Fletcher is now doing “perfectly”, Hayley says.
Hayley will be part of a group of 15 walking on behalf of the Neonatal Unit.
“That Neonatal Unit is absolutely amazing,” she said, adding that she wanted to do something to “give back” for all the support they received during Fletcher’s time in hospital.