TWO neonatal nurses from The Royal Oldham Hospital have been reunited with a baby they cared for mid pandemic to mark National Neonatal Nurses Week.
Nurses Katie Broadbent and Lauren Woolerton were reunited with baby Fariq who they looked after for more than a month as the pandemic raged.
Fariq Hussain Chowdhury was born on April 7 and delivered via an emergency caesarean-section after his mother, Ariifa Hussain, reported feeling reduced movements.
Inul Hussain Chowdury and Arifa Khatun with baby Fariq.
Fariq needed immediate respiratory support and was diagnosed with severe hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE), a condition caused when a baby’s brain does not receive enough oxygen and/or blood flow at the time of birth. HIE can affect the brain and cause problems in the lungs, liver, heart, bowel and kidneys.
Fariq’s mother, Ariifa said: “It was terrifying when Fariq was first born and moved to the NICU. Not only were we incredibly worried about his condition, but the world itself was a very scary place. As it was during the pandemic, I was so frightened about what this new virus could potentially do to my very poorly baby if he contracted it.
“All of the doctors and nurses at The Royal Oldham Hospital were wonderful and now Fariq is almost five months old and thriving. We want to say a huge thank you to everyone involved in his care. We are so grateful. Katie and Lauren really stuck out to me and my husband, as their kind words made us feel comfortable and at ease when we were on the unit and gave us the confidence that we could and would get through it."
Baby Fariq Hussain Chowdhury at The Royal Oldham Hospital.
The reunion was organised by the neonatal charity, Spoons which supports families experiencing neonatal care across Greater Manchester. Volunteers from the charity spend time on the neonatal unit to provide peer support to parents, as well as offering trauma counselling, breavement support and community groups and play sessions.
Baby Fariq at five months old.
Nurse Katie said: “It’s been brilliant seeing Fariq and his parents today. Lauren and I have loved every minute. You wouldn’t know it was the same baby to the one we first met five months ago. We’re delighted to see him thriving and doing so well. His parents should be very proud of him, but also very proud of themselves.”
National Neonatal Nurses Week is running from September 13 to 19.
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