Parents’ thank you for saving tiny Arlo as he celebrates his first birthday
A baby who was born at 25 weeks and chosen as the face of a £2m hospital campaign has celebrated his first birthday and is home for Christmas.
Arlo Watson, of Broseley, weighed just 755 grams, around one and a half pounds, when he was born on December 14 last year.
He spent almost 200 days in hospitals but is now set to spend his first Christmas at home.
His family are planning a special thank you and have made eight hampers for staff and parents of premature babies who this Christmas will be at the hospitals where Arlo was treated.
Laura Watson and husband Sammy, both 29, have also bought 117 baubles as gifts for the tiny babies.
They launched an online appeal in a bid to raise £500 to fund the hampers, which they will deliver on Christmas Eve, but have already surpassed their target thanks to generous donors.
More than 80 supporters have helped to raise around £700 so far.
Arlo was chosen as the face of the £2m Birmingham Children’s Hospital Critical Journeys Appeal, to kit out four ambulance vehicles.
Laura, who has two other children, said Arlo was now doing well.
She said: “He’s doing brilliantly. He’s started crawling. He can manage about 30 seconds sitting up before he falls over.
“He is going on the Santa train to London on Saturday.”
She said she was thrilled at the response to the online fundraising campaign.
Laura said: “They have all been amazing. We reached our target of £500 in three days and we’ve upped it to £1,000 now.
“The hampers will be filled with treats and we have also bought first Christmas baubles.
Arlo was born at Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital.
Despite his unplanned arrival, the hospital felt he was doing well and sent him to Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital.
But at six weeks old he got a serious bowel infection.He was later taken to Birmingham Children’s Hospital where he had two operations on his bowel, leaving him with a stoma.
He spent most of February in a critical condition, but was then returned once again to Telford’s hospital where he was prepared to go home. However, problems with his stoma meant he was taken back to Birmingham Women’s Hospital where he stayed for two-and-a-half-months.
Arlo was finally able to go home in July after spending 198 days in hospitals.
Laura set up a Facebook page to keep friends and family updated with his progress. and The Adventures of Arlo River now has more than 3,000 followers.
She said: “It’s all been a bit of a whirlwind. When he was in hospital it felt like there was no end in sight.
“He is still on oxygen due to chronic lung disease and he has about one hospital appointment a month.
“We will be spending Christmas together as a family and it’s going to be amazing. We are so excited, can’t wait.”
The hampers will be delivered to New Cross Hospital, Princess Royal Hospital, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Birmingham Women’s Hospital. Visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/arlosxmasappeal
To get involved or www.bch.org.uk/criticaljourneys
People can also text TIME18, followed by the donation amount, to 70070.
