Aimee's Story

Royal Manchester and Booth Hall Children’s Hospitals will be relocated in 2009 to a brand new state-of-the-art children’s hospital in central Manchester. The New Children’s Hospital Appeal, launched in May 2006 will help ensure the new hospital, which will be the biggest children’s hospital in the country providing specialist services to the region’s poorliest children, has equipment and facilities that are second to none. The appeal will focus on two main areas:

Ensuring that the new state-of-the-art buildings have the best equipment available for diagnosis and treatment
Providing accommodation so that parents can stay close to their child during treatment

Why we need your support...

Aimee Three year old Aimee from Tyldesley in Manchester is a patient at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital (Pendlebury). Aimee was just two when mum Karen noticed that she was very pale and was beginning to limp, and was bruising. She soon became very poorly.

Following tests at Bolton Royal Hospital Aimee was transferred to Pendlebury, where she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. Pendlebury is one of the leading centres for children’s oncology in the UK.

Aimee’s levels of haemoglobin and platelets in her blood were very low and she began transfusions immediately, plus treatment consisting of steroids and medications. She was very weak, was unable to stand unassisted and after two weeks began to lose weight and became unable to eat. She had contracted Thrush in her throat, requiring further treatment.

Aimee stayed in hospital for an initial period of nineteen weeks, with a small amount of time spent at home with her family. During this time she received various CT, MRI and ultrasound scans, along with her first intensive course of chemotherapy. She returned home in time to spend Christmas with her family.

She was admitted again to Pendlebury during the holiday after developing violent shaking and a slump in one side of her body, doctors feared she may have had a stroke. Scans were clear and thankfully her symptoms cleared up.

Aimee’s condition has now improved and she is on the road to recovery. She still remains vulnerable to infection and has the occasional ‘off’ day. She remains under the care of Pendlebury and will begin her second course of chemotherapy this summer. Her care will transfer to the new children’s hospital when it opens in 2009.
Access to the latest equipment for diagnosis and treatment is essential for doctors treating children with complex conditions like Aimee.

*All details of Aimee condition and treatments are as described by Aimee’s parents.

Her mum Karen has this to say:

"The treatment and care Aimee has received at Pendlebury has been absolutely fabulous, we cannot fault the hospital or the staff, they are doing an excellent job with the facilities they have. However having spent a lot of time there it is easy to see that conditions are dated and space is limited for parents. We welcome the fact that the new hospital will bring the latest equipment and much needed space for families. Anything that makes life easier for families in hospital will enable them to better support their child."