Posted on: 22 Nov 2023
Arthur has been treated at Nottingham Children’s Hospital since he was two weeks old, and underwent a kidney transplant at the age of four.
At mum Megan’s 20-week pregnancy scan, it became clear that Arthur’s kidneys and lungs were not working properly. His parents were devastated to be told he had just a 10% chance of surviving to birth.
Against all odds, Arthur survived and was born six weeks early at Leicester Royal Infirmary, where he was taken straight to the Neonatal Unit for treatment.
Two weeks later the family were transferred to Nottingham Children’s Hospital, at the Queen’s Medical Centre, so that Arthur could receive specialist care.
There he underwent multiple tests and operations, and mum Megan and dad Luke were taught how to use feeding tubes and take care of Arthur’s bladder needs as his kidneys were not functioning properly.
Megan said: “We were allowed home after about eight weeks, but we continued to be in and out of Nottingham Children’s Hospital a lot when Arthur was a baby. The support from the staff there was fantastic. We knew we weren’t on our own, even when we were at home, there was always someone on the other end of the phone if we needed advice.”
Arthur was on dialysis for two years before he received his kidney transplant in 2020, aged four. While on the transplant waiting list he received dialysis four times a week in hospital, and every night at home.
Megan said: “Again, the staff were amazing and trained me up to do the dialysis at home. Arthur was young so he just got on with it all. He would sit in a cot in hospital, receiving dialysis for four hours, and just play with his toys and enjoy waving at people as they came and went. We actually have some really lovely memories of the dialysis unit and the renal unit, as well as some more upsetting memories of course.”
Arthur during one of his hospital stays
After nine months on the transplant waiting list, Megan and Luke received the call to say there was a kidney ready for Arthur – just hours after Megan had dropped him off for his very first day at nursery.
The transplant was a success and Arthur’s new kidney is continuing to do well. The family now visits the hospital for regular check-ups, and Arthur continues to go from strength to strength.
He is seen in the Children’s Outpatients clinic, which sees hundreds of young patients every week. As part of our Big Appeal for Nottingham Children’s Hospital we want to raise money to improve the Outpatients clinic, to make it more child-friendly and less daunting for young patients.
Donations to the Big Appeal will help fund new play and sensory rooms for patients with additional needs, toys, games and technology for children and young people of all ages, and additional clinic rooms to help cope with high demand on the department.
Speaking about how Arthur is doing now, Megan said: “Arthur is such a happy little boy, he loves life. He takes everything in his stride and doesn’t seem to mind that he has been through all this. He just wants to have fun and play with his friends, like any seven-year-old!
“We’re just so grateful to all the staff at Nottingham Children’s Hospital for caring for us all through such a difficult time.”
Please donate to our Big Appeal today, to help children like Arthur being treated at Nottingham Children’s Hospital.