ALL birthdays are special in their own way.

But the one just celebrated by little Isla Simpson is one her family feared she may not see.

Isla faced an incredible battle after spending the first 26 minutes of her life without a heartbeat when she was born last year.

And it didn’t end there. Several weeks in hospital followed until baby Isla was allowed home.

Twelve months on and she’s a smiling, gurgling baby, who’s bringing joy to her mother, friends and relatives.

Not only has Isla faced her battle with courage, mum Becky is also an inspiration to others. Motherhood is hard enough, but Becky had to get through the ‘hardest week of her life’ when Isla was first born, facing each day as if it might be Isla’s last.

Praise too must also be heaped on the medical team at Burnley General Hospital who didn’t give up when they had been working on her for 20 minutes with no success. They decided not to stop resusc-itation and those extra six minutes have given life and hope.

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust was named ‘maternity service of the year’ for 2014 by the Royal College of Midwives and stories like Becky and Isla’s show precisely why.