Premature baby saved by equipment donated to hospital by her family four years earlier
'Miracle' baby helped inspire cash-raising triumph that saved his cousin years later
A PREMATURE baby was unwittingly saved by her aunt FOUR years after she donated equipment to the same hospital that helped her "miracle" son to survive.
William Seager weighed just 1lb 15oz when he was born with a triple knot in his umbilical cord at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.
Against all the odds, the tiny baby survived - prompting his mum Anna to raise money to give the neonatal unit.
But little did she know that four years later the same equipment would save the life of her baby neice Darcie-Ann Hambly who was born on June 26 at 33 weeks weighing 2lb 12oz.
“It’s an amazing coincidence,” said Anna, 32.
Related stories
“We just wanted to raise as much money as possible for the neonatal unit.
"We let the medical staff spend the money on whatever equipment they needed.
“But when my brother-in-law sent me a picture of a plaque on one of the pieces of equipment after my niece was born, it had William’s name on it.
“We knew we’d be helping other babies, but not one in our own family.”
After William was well enough to return home, his dad Richard Seager and William’s godfather Steven Fudge took on a 105-mile charity bike ride from Cardiff Bay to Brecon and back again.
All £2,500 raised by the impressive effort was spent on several devices, including a “Neopuff” which is used to help premature babies breathe in the early stages after birth.
We knew we’d be helping other babies, but not one in our own family.
Anna Seager
William, who has now turned four years old, was recommended for termination when doctors suspected he had a severe form of spina bifida.
But he later found to have a triple knot in his umbilical cord.
“He was smaller than a bag of sugar,” mum-of-three Anna added.
“There was no space at the University Hospital of Wales when he was first born, so we had to travel by emergency ambulance to Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr and then the Royal Glamorgan Hospital before eventually coming back to the neonatal unit in Cardiff where he stayed for nine weeks.”
Darcie-Ann’s dad Kevin Hambly, 48, of Sillcare Llantrisant and mum Georgina Hambly, 28, of estate agents Cardiff Residential, are said to be incredibly grateful to the medical staff at the hospital.
Following the second miracle birth, a second charity event is planned at some stage in the near future in honour of staff at the unit.
Anna added: “My sister Georgina had severe pre-eclampsia and she was very unwell so her baby was delivered by c-section.
“She’s still quite unwell but we hope she will soon make a full recovery.”
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team?
Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368