Family raise funds to thank neonatal unit

Jul 31 2008 by Shirley Bartynek, Hamilton Advertiser

LITTLE Liam Partridge returned to Wishaw General Hospital's Neonatal Unit to say a big £1000 thank-you to the people who helped to save his life.

The seven-month-old tot, from Holytown, was born on December 18 last year 10 weeks before his due date and weighed only three pounds, eight ounces.

Liam survived to grow into a healthy, bouncing baby who now weighs more than 17lbs.

His family were so grateful that they organised a charity disco to raise money for the Neonatal Unit.

Liam's sisters, seven-year-old Chantana Gordon, who attends Holytown Primary, and four-year-old Kalis Partridge, also helped to raise money by making cakes for the charity night.

And Liam returned to Wishaw General with mum Andrene McKenna and dad Neil Partridge to hand over an amazing cheque for £1150 to the NHS Lanarkshire staff who helped to save his life.

Andrene said: "Wishaw's Neonatal Unit was amazing and we will never be able to thank the staff enough.

"Liam was 10 weeks early and faced a lot of difficulties.

"He had a serious stomach condition and three life-threatening episodes, including a meningitis infection, but the doctors and nurses did everything they could to save him.

"We were told there was a chance he could have been left blind or have cerebral palsy but he is a perfectly healthy little boy.

"We had to do something to thank the staff but there is no way we can ever repay them for what they did.

"They are just fantastic and we were so delighted to be able to raise so much money for them.

"I'd also like to thank everyone at the Holytown General Motors Club, my mum Anne Berwick and all those who donated raffle prizes and attended the charity night to help us with this fund-raising effort."

Sheila Miller, the ward manager for the Neonatal Unit at Wishaw General, thanked Liam and his family for their generous donation.

She said: "We were all thrilled to hear how well Liam is now doing and it was very generous of his family to go to this effort to raise so much money."