A couple, who have a baby with a life-threatening condition, are facing homelessness after struggling to keep up with rent payments. Hannah Marsden and her partner Michael were recently served with a Section 21 eviction notice on their flat.
The couple struggled to conceive naturally and were considering IVF before they found out they were expecting. Hannah's pregnancy went smoothly at first, but when they went for their 20-week scan things took a devastating turn.
They were referred to a specialist hospital where doctors told them that their unborn daughter had a condition called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. They were told they had three options - terminate the pregnancy, let nature take its course, or use all medical intervention possible to try and prolong their baby's life.
As the couple had difficulties getting pregnant they knew they had to do everything they could to make sure there daughter lived. Mila-Boo was born in June 2022 and was rushed to Alder Hay hospital for open heart surgery.
She will need at least two more heart surgeries in order to prolong her life to adulthood. The couple, who have worked all of their lives, had no choice but to take extra time off to care for their baby.
At times they've been forced to choose between paying for food and energy, or rent. Speaking exclusively to the Manchester Evening News, Hannah said: "My maternity leave has finished and my partner has been off this whole time.
"He was on statutory sick pay but that's up now because he's had 28 weeks. We did get some help from Universal Credit but that didn't cover everything and we have just been constantly behind.
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"It's either been food or rent but my daughter needs feeding and nappies. She needs the heating as well because she can't get cold as her body won't be able to function."
Mila's congenital heart defect means her heart has grown to half the normal size, two of her main arteries are the wrong way round, and she doesn't have any chambers in her heart. She was due to have her second open-heart surgery in December 2022, but after suffering a blood clot, doctors said there was too much pressure on her heart to go ahead.
Doctors have since redesigned the operation and it is booked for later on in February. On Mila's time in hospital, Hannah says: "Because of the time spent apart I started to panic because we hadn't bonded.
"I was diagnosed with post-natal depression because I was terrified of her seeing her. But then I finally did meet her and she was amazing.
"She looks so much like me. She did so well in hospital. I couldn't praise the staff enough, they were amazing and felt like family."
If she isn't able to have the surgery this time round it's likely doctors will have to stop treatment, meaning Mila's life-expectancy is likely to drop from around 40 years to twenty. They have set up a gofundme page in the hope to raise enough money to help with their housing situation.
Hannah said: "We'd never claimed benefits in our life and here we were ringing up the council's homelessness department. Luckily they have found us a house but we are meant to move out of here on March 1 and the new house isn't ready until the end of March.
"We hope if we raise the money we can pay for an extra months rent so we can stay in this house. Obviously it doesn't help the situation we are in right now.
"At the moment we are round the corner from family but we'll be moving back to Leigh. It's not great but at least we'll have a roof over our head. It's going to be hard having a baby in hospital and moving as well especially with the financial issues."
You can donate to the couple's fundraising page here. Homeless charity Shelter has advice on what to do if you are facing a section 21 notice. For more information, click here.
