A Scunthorpe woman who “wouldn’t be here today” if it wasn’t for the staff on a children’s hospital ward has made it her mission to give something back to the kind-hearted people who cared for her when she was poorly.
Courtney Sellars, 24, was “constantly in and out” of Scunthorpe General Hospital as a child, and was a regular patient at the Disney ward. As a baby, she was diagnosed with Brittle asthma, a rare and serious form of the disease which can cause life-threatening asthma attacks.
On several occasions, Courtney was so poorly that she spent time as a patient on the Disney ward’s High Dependency Unit, during which her family feared they would lose her.
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Speaking to Scunthorpe Live, Courtney said: “I was diagnosed with Brittle asthma as a baby and for as long as I can remember I was in and out of Scunthorpe General Hospital. My symptoms are recurring chest infections that my body struggles to fight, it stops me being able to do daily activities because it affects my breathing and oxygen levels.
“I had 24 hours open access to the Disney ward and was admitted there many times for tests, IV antibiotics and scans. On a few occasions I was admitted to the ward’s High Dependency Unit, and there were times my family thought they were going to lose me, like when I contracted pneumonia and my body was struggling to fight it.
(Image: ScunthorpeLive/Donna Clifford)
“I remember the playroom being somewhere I loved to visit in the ward once I was fit enough to, as it made it feel like I was at home. There were so many lovely play specialists on the ward that also offered bedside entertainment for those like me who couldn’t leave their beds.”
Courtney said she feels she now owes it to the staff on the Disney ward to show them how thankful she is for their care – and is doing so by raising as funds and gifts for The Health Tree Foundation, through a tombola event and an Amazon wishlist.
She continued: “I feel like I owe them, because if I wasn’t here today then I would never be able to show them how thankful I am to each and every one of them for the care they provided me and my family at one of the hardest point in our lives. They helped my family when they thought I was going to die.
“It’s scary because I’ve lost friends from asthma and cystic fibrosis. I just don’t think there is enough awareness out there about how deadly the conditions actually are.”
In 2020, Courtney raised an incredible £400 for The Health Tree Foundation – and hopes to raise even more this time round. To purchase a tombola ticket for just £1 each, you can do so by contacting Courtney through Facebook here. Alternatively, you can also purchase items from Courtney’s Amazon wishlist to be donated to the Disney ward.
Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe
