“Families of Ocean Ward” (Southampton Hospital Pediatric Cardiac Ward and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit):

 

As some of you will know, my nephew Jake was born at the end of last year in a critical condition with: Transposition of the great arteries with ventricular septal defect – in other words, his aorta and pulmonary arteries were the wrong way round and he had a hole in his little heart.

 

Due to this, he was admitted immediately at birth to the Ocean Ward and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Southampton Hospital. Jake underwent open heart surgery to fix his heart and remained fighting for his life in the ward for the first 6 weeks of his life.

 

The nurses and staff at the Ward provided extraordinary support and care to not only Jake but to my sister who had to live on the ward, Brother-in-law and niece Isabel. For this reason, I would like to give something back to the ward from our family, to say thank you.

 

‘Families of Ocean Ward’ aim is to help bridge the gap between home and hospital by putting families in touch with others whose child has a similar condition and experiences similar problems and issues.  This is especially important as the paediatric cardiac unit in Southampton treats children not only in the local area but also heart children as far down as Devon, Cornwall, across to West Sussex, Wiltshire and Oxfordshire areas. They purchase and replenish toys, tv’s, laptops (with internet access), games consoles, dvd’s, all for the pleasure and use by children and families on Ocean Ward.  They offer fun family days out at little or no cost to the family.  Their first Christmas Party in 2011 (which Jake and Isabel were at) was a huge success with Santa delivering presents for the heart children and their siblings. Where needed they are also able to purchase essential equipment to assist families caring for their child at home.