A mother from Preston is fighting with a hospital to let her baby son come home after spending much of his short life on a medical ward.
Rowan-George Woodruff is only one and was born with atresia, a condition in his throat, which means he has no upper airway or windpipe. He had a tracheotomy soon after birth, which doctors say needs constant monitoring.
To allow him to breathe, an airway was built using his ribcage and through his voice box.
He has barely left Manchester Children’s Hospital, although he was allowed home for Christmas.
The hospital says the youngster needs two-to-one care at all times, but that they are working towards discharging him.
But mum-of-two Ashleigh Bamber, 28, says she wants her boy home with her in Preston right now, describing the last year as “absolute hell”.
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She said: “He’s such a rare case. They’re so frightened of him being discharged.
“I just want him home with his family. It’s made me feel like a very lonely person.”
Ashleigh has to travel from Preston to Manchester – a 35-mile daily journey – to see her son.
Her partner, Aaron Woodruff, is self-employed and works full-time after Ashleigh quit her job to care for their son, and her eldest son, Cameron Tymon, eight, is diagnosed with autism.
She said: “Manchester isn’t around the corner from me so it’s a long way – I go five to six times a week, but it’s not enough, he’s my child, my baby.”
Ashleigh says she was originally told Rowan-George could return home with her as long as he had a discharge package – this would mean he was constantly supervised by one person.
She says she spent £5,000 on adapting her house so he could be looked after downstairs – but says the hospital then refused to discharge him.
She claims they said they needed two people supervising him at all times. Ashleigh said: “He had all the equipment at home.
“But at the last minute the hospital said it wasn’t going to be enough and he needed two carers, not one.
“It’s absolutely heartbreaking – I’ve got all of his equipment here, all of his clothes and he’s not here.
“He’s my son and I just can’t have him. I know he misses me because as soon as he sees me, he’s happy and gets all excited.
“The hospital have saved his life and I appreciate everything they’ve done, but since the surgery there’s so much they’re forgetting to do.
“They leave him on his own and don’t play with him – every night there’s not a cuddle at bedtime, no kisses or comfort.
“The hospital say, ‘We don’t want you to be left alone, he needs two people at all times’.
“What they’re concerned about is if the tracheotomy is blocked or removed. Then, he has no airway and there is a big possibility he could die. I’m very aware of that.
“But we are more than prepared to sit and be with him all the time. I know you can’t just nip out and make a brew.”
Ashleigh claims the hospital will only fund one carer for 145 hours a week, leaving Rowan-George without a carer for 23 hours a week.
She says they are unable to pay for a carer for 23 hours, and says she would be required to be the second full-time carer – meaning she would be around her son 24 hours a day, leaving her unable to return to work.
A spokesperson for Manchester Children’s Hospital said: “We aim to get all our patients back home as quickly as is safely possible and, with several family members now trained in Rowan-George’s care, everyone’s very pleased that he could enjoy Christmas at home.
“We’ll continue to support Rowan-George and his family towards a successful discharge.
“A fully-funded care package has been agreed for him by the NHS and recruitment is now taking place for his carers.”
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