Parents of 'miracle baby' in South Yorkshire aiming to 'create a legacy' for their late son
We've been speaking to James and Karolina Curry a week on from the conclusion of the inquest into the death of their son Cassian
The parents of a 'miracle baby' who was born after 28 weeks last year tell us they're 'determined to create a legacy' for their late son.
Cassian Curry died when he was two days old at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals last April.
Last week a coroner found 'neglect' and 'gross failure' contributed to his death.
Cassian's dad James now wants to push for 'higher' standards at Neonatal units across the country:
"It's a loss that we'll never, ever get over. We're just trying to live with it each day.
"Sometimes it gives you a massive kick in the teeth and you struggle to cope. On other days, you can control your emotions a little bit better.
"I think for us, Cassian's legacy now is that of saving others and we'd really like to push as well for the national guidelines to be changed.
"We just want to try and raise awareness at other neo-natal units in England and the rest of the UK as well.
"We don't want other families to go through what we've been through. It's important that things change.
"I don't think it's something you can ever truly recover from.
"You just have to try and live with it and deal with it as well as you can to get by."
Karolina Curry says her son was a 'beautiful little boy' with his 'whole life ahead of him':
"It was such a joyful time when I got pregnant with Cassian after so many years of trying to have a child.
"Cassian's birth was the best moment of our lives. It was a true miracle to have him in our hands, in our arms.
"Just to feel his body heat, to smell him, to touch him and to look at him. It was beautiful.
"He was a beautiful little boy. He came very early, but he came out strong and was fighting for his life.
"He was ready to start his life.
"We struggle with social contacts. We've struggled with starting our lives again.
"It's almost like our lives stopped last April when Cassian died, and we can't find a way to start living again."
Dr Jennifer Hill. Medical Director, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said:
“We know that no apology will ever be enough to lessen the pain of Cassian’s death for his parents and family, but we are so very sorry for what happened and have already provided Mr and Mrs Curry with a full explanation of what happened and the changes we have made since his death.
"Whilst staffing numbers on the Neonatal Unit that weekend were appropriate and within national recommendations, it was very busy and regrettably there was a genuine human error in terms of the management of Cassian’s umbilical venous catheter.
"This was a very rare incident to have happened and everyone involved in his care is devastated.
"There has been a full review of what happened, and changes have already been made to limit the chances of this happening again including additional Consultant support at weekends and ongoing improvements to the documentation used.
"We will also be taking on board any further recommendations from the coroner and ensuring we respond with appropriate actions.”