A mum whose miracle baby beat the odds to survive is fundraising to buy him a vital electric wheelchair. Arthur Brosnan was born three and a half months early with his chances of survival described as slim.
Now mum Anna Brosnan says she is grateful for everyday with her son, who at one point was believed to be dead while still in the womb. When he was born, she promised him that she would be the 'most over-the-top devoted mum' who would give him so much love that he would want to survive.
Arthur is now five and attends Warmley Park School. He has cerebral palsy but the NHS cannot provide him with an electric wheelchair or a communications device, so his mother launched the appeal online. So far it has raised £1,170 of a £5,000 target.
Anna says Arthur is not managing well with his walker and is getting too heavy to be carried around. He can communicate with Makaton sign language but without the use of his right hand it can sometimes be challenging.
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Anna, who lives in Staple Hill with husband Steve, was told by doctors after giving birth that she and her son Arthur both would have died if she hadn’t come into Southmead Hospital. Nothing alarming had shown up on a scan and she may have been discharged at that point were it not for her refusal and a doctor’s decision for her to have an ECG.
The then first-time mum, who was pregnant with twins, had already lost one baby and Arthur had an umbilical cord around his neck and was expected to be stillborn. But not only did he survive against the odds but he has defied all expectations after being born with a very severe form of cerebral palsy.
Anna said: “I had a lack of movement and bleeding and they were going to discharge me and they did a heart monitor and rushed me in, they told me afterwards that I would have been dead within 24 hours and Arthur would have been dead within an hour if I hadn’t said ‘something’s wrong’.
“When they told us about the cerebral palsy, I just went into complete denial because all I could see was this perfect baby in front of me. I was supposed to have twins and had already lost one.
“When he came out early I said to him, ‘if you pull through, I will be the most devoted, over-the-top mum and give you so much love that you will want to survive. He kept his promise so I have got to keep mine.
“When he was born we were told that he had severe cerebral palsy and he may never sit up. But another doctor told us that if we did skin to skin, massage and play him music it will help his brain develop. I was a bit obsessed for 10 weeks in the NICU. I did a massage course, played music and 12 hours of skin to skin a day. He did so well, he came home a month early.
“Even though he doesn’t walk and talk he just amazes people all the time with how flexible he is, how active he is and how clever he is - he knows every single dinosaur.
“He is just so awesome so if he is going to have a wheelchair it's best to get him what he deserves.” Anna’s mum, who was really close to Arthur has recently died. Alongside the online fundraiser, Anna is organising a raffle at the pub where her mum used to work in Staple Hill in the summer.
Anna said she is grateful for those who have already donated and currently has a fundraising target of £5,000. If you would like to contribute, visit here.
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