Baby's oxygen withdrawn in fundraiser
Oscar with mum Helen
and dad Stephen Barrett
by Lizzie Massey
lmassey@thekmgoup.co.uk
A baby boy who weighed less than 2lb when he was born went
without his oxygen supply for 14 hours to raise money for the
hospital that helped save him.
It was all perfectly safe and marked the continued recovery from
a difficult start to life for the brave lad.
Oscar Barrett arrived three months early on March 8, last year,
weighing just 1lb 13oz.
He spent 16 weeks in four different hospitals, including six
weeks at Darent Valley’s Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU).
Mum Helen, 31, stayed with Oscar at the hospital for over three
weeks and watched as medical staff tended to her son.
She said: “The doctors and nurses there are amazing people. They
saved his life."
"The doctors and nurses there are amazing people. They saved his life" – Oscar's mum Helen Barrett
So when it came to saying thank you, they decided to show how
well Oscar was progressing with his breathing, and raise some money
at the same time.
When Oscar was allowed home in Heathclose Road, Dartford, in
July, he was continuously on oxygen.
He has gradually been weaned off it, with the supply initially
stopped for half an hour every day, and up to eight hours by
Christmas.
Mrs Barrett said: “We thought, it’s a big target, why not use it
as an opportunity to raise some money for Darent Valley.
“Obviously we wouldn’t take away Oscar’s oxygen if he needed it,
but he is actually managing for 12 hours now so is absolutely
smashing our expectations.”
Oscar’s digestive system was not properly matured when he was
born and the muscle at the top of his stomach was so weak that when
he ate it caused him pain and he would throw it back up.
It caused him to hold his breath, which brought his oxygen
levels dangerously low, and at just 12 weeks he had to have chest
compressions to bring him back around.
Mrs Barrett said: “He’s so doing much better now. Because he was
so ill the chances of other things going wrong in his development
were really high, but we’ve been very lucky and he seems to be
developing normally.”
Mrs Barrett and dad Stephen, 31, are hoping Oscar will be off
oxygen completely by the end of the month.
Baby Oscar gets special
care after just being born
Mrs Barrett added: “Myself, Stephen and the whole family are
just so relieved and happy.
“After all he’s been through, he’s managed to come through
without being too scathed and so much of that is down to the
fantastic care he received.
“The staff at Darent Valley really looked after us as well as
Oscar, so we just want to give something back to them all.”
Oscar is raising money for The Little Buds Fund which supports
Darent Valley Hospital’s SCBU. The target was £1,000 but already
stands at £1,195.
To donate visit www.justgiving.com/Oscar-Barrett-for-Little-Buds
04/01/13