A FAMILY have launched a fundraising appeal to provide life-changing treatment for their ‘happy and cheeky’ little girl who suffered severe brain damage in a tragic accident.
Within just a matter of weeks, more than £110,000 has been raised to help one-year-old Penelope Booth receive the best medical treatment.
The accident happened while couple Katie and Grant were at their home in Bromley Cross on a hot and sunny day in July, with their children George, aged three, and Penelope, who had enjoyed playing in the paddling pool.
Penelope Booth, 1
The family were sitting together inside when George went to watch TV in another room, with Penelope following soon after. Katie, aged 33, and Grant, aged 34, went to join them moments later, however, as they walked through Katie noticed something in the pool.
She noticed it was Penelope and what followed was every parent’s nightmare.
Royal Bolton Hospital midwife Katie immediately started CPR with Grant calling for an ambulance. Penelope was rushed to Manchester Children’s Hospital.
She was intubated and placed in a coma in the intensive care unit and, after just one week, she was well enough to be transferred to the neurological ward.
Penelope Booth, 1
An MRI scan revealed severe brain damage, and she is unable to sit, speak or eat.
The family do not know how Penelope ended up in the pool.
The youngster has been improving very slightly since the accident and has been able to travel home the last two weekends, to the delight of Katie.
Katie and Grant, who are expecting another child in five weeks’ time, are desperate to help Penelope in any way they can and have discovered a medical trial in America which could be life-changing for her.
It uses stem cells found in the umbilical cord to help regenerate damaged cells which could help repair her brain. There is also hyperbaric oxygen therapy which could also help Penelope regain basic skills.
But the treatments cost more than £125,000 alone – before adding on other costs.
The family have set up a JustGiving page to raise money, with all donations going to Just4Children who will pay for anything Penelope needs.
Katie said she and her husband were uncomfortable asking others for money after a difficult two years, but has been amazed by people’s generosity so far, having raised over £110,000 so far.
“I was shaking when I first pressed the button to start the fundraising page,”said Katie,
“All of the support we have received has been fantastic.
“It’s still been an absolutely horrendous experience. We have been in hospital for more or less the last 10 weeks, it’s just all been very long and so hard.
“It completely turned our world upside down.
“She is not in a coma any more but the doctors just can’t say how she will be at this stage. It’s been awful. We have been staying at the Ronald McDonald House Manchester next to the hospital which is nice, but everything is very difficult still.
“It’s been very hard for the whole family, especially George, but he has been so strong.”
Penelope was born on New Year’s Eve 2019 with Katie describing her as “always happy and cheeky and she melted the hearts of everyone she met”.
Katie found the American treatment after “obsessing” over research of how she could help Penelope.
She said: “We found quite a few other people’s stories in quite a few groups of people who had been through a similar event.
“It’s being used quite a lot in America and there have been some great stories of how it’s worked. We are desperate to bring her back, we really will try anything.
“We’re not expecting a complete cure but just anything that can improve her life and bring her back to how she used to be. It’s so sad to see her like this.
“I am due to have our third child in five weeks time and the stem cells will be stored from the umbilical chord from that, ready for when we can get the treatment in America.
“Some people have had some really good results from this. As a mum you’re just desperate to do anything you can for your children and we want to do everything and anything we can to help her.. The support we have received so far has been amazing, it’s all so kind.”
To donate to the fundraising page, visit here.
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