My mum was sadly diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when I was five years old. Unfortunately, this has progressed to Progressive Multiple Sclerosis over the last ten years.

On February 2nd 2023 our life was turned upside down by a call received at 5am from the registrar at Royal Preston Hospital. We were told that my mum would be taken for a life saving operation as her bowel had perforated and she was 'riddled' in sepsis. My mum had lost consciousness and we couldn't even tell her how much we loved her. The registrar 'Iaonnis' told us that her 'life was severely at risk and the chances of survival were extremely slim'. Those words still play over and over again to this day.

The operation lasted around six hours and my mum was taken to the critical care unit at the hospital where she remained on a ventilator. The hours and days which followed were agonising. The staff in the critical care unit were nothing short of amazing. Not only did they support my mum but also myself and my dad as we didn't know where to turn. They explained every noise and the purpose of each machine. They guided us on what to do in the days that followed and offered unwavering support.

We also discovered how much the critical care unit did to support and encourage both the patients and families. This ranged from having musicians attend to aid patients with cognitive development, therapy pets visiting and other activities. To many people this may sound obscure but when your loved one is sat in the bed with their life on the line you really do appreciate the tireless work and effort.

My mum subsequently spent around four months at Royal Preston Hospital before being allowed home with the addition of her stoma who we like to call Stanley Stoma. We did this to embrace the fact that it isn't anything to be ashamed of and should be embraced. It's amazing what the human body can do. The fight and determination shown by my mum has inspired me which is partly why I decided to run 26.2 miles..... which isn't an everyday Mel task!

The surgeon who saved my mum's life (Mr Mitchell) is quite frankly amazing and always says 'it's just a job' but it's not and he will always have a special place in our hearts. We just want to give something back as a family and hopefully help fund some help and activities for other families who end up in the same position as everything can come crashing down overnight.

Any donation would be greatly appreciated even if it's just a £1.

Details about the Critical Care Unit:

Our critical care unit at Royal Preston Hospital is one of the largest in the North West of England, looking after more than 1600 patients every year.

Our dedicated team provides intensive treatment and close monitoring of patients who are seriously ill, or who need intensive care following surgery.

As our Critical Care Unit continues to grow here will always be a need for those added extras which can make all the difference to our patients and their families, when they need it the most.

Your donations will enable us to provide a welcoming, calm and comfortable environment for families staying close to their loved ones. With your help we can also fund additional equipment and state-of-the-art simulation training, enabling our team to remain at the forefront of modern technology and exceptional care.

Thank you so much for your support!