Fundraising family return to Royal Stoke to thank Intensive Care staff for saving son’s life

A Stafford family have returned to University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust to thank the nurses, doctors and consultants for saving their son’s life and present a cheque to UHNM Charity for almost £5,000.

Rachel Kitson ran this year’s Manchester Marathon in aid of the Children’s Intensive Care Unit (CICU) at the Royal Stoke University Hospital to thank them for care given to son Ethan following a severe asthma attack in October 2020.

It was an emotional return for Rachel and husband Gareth who visited the Unit for the first time since Ethan’s stay along with daughter Frankie.

Rachel said: “In October 2020 we nearly lost our son. A massive asthma attack triggered by a virus too great for his little body to fight and too great for normal treatment to fix nearly took him from us. Ethan spent six days on a ventilator in a medically induced coma, surrounded by machines with lines coming out of every place they could put one to try and save his life. He fought so hard and eventually he won.

“The team are so incredible. He had around the clock care from the nurses, doctors and consultants who were just amazing and we can’t thank them enough for everything they did. They treated him so beautifully and look at him now. They looked after us so well too. It was the hardest thing we’ve ever been through and we all got looked after so, so well it’s a special place.”

In total Rachel raised £4,832 through fundraising and sponsorship. 

She added: “I had to do something really, really hard, an endurance challenge if that makes sense, nothing would represent what my son achieved and the strength he demonstrated but I wanted something, a challenge that needed commitment, effort and fight to achieve. I know it will be money well spent to improve things for other families.”

The family were greeted by Dr Mark Bebbington, a Consultant Paediatrician who looked after Ethan.

Dr Bebbington said: “We’re very grateful to Rachel and the family. We’re always in need of different things on CICU to help improve the patient care and expeircne, but also to help look after parenst and make things as comfortable as pssible for them. We choose items that make the most difference to as many patients and families as possible.”

If you would like to fundraise for UHNM Charity visit www.uhnmcharity.org.ukfor more information, or call 01782 676444 to speak to one of the UHNM Charity team.