Lancashire mum ready to embrace Mother’s Day after doctors give poorly son the all clear

When Dania McNulty gave birth to her son, Rowan in October 2019, she could tell something wasn't right.

Rowan was struggling to breathe and started to turn blue, and just five hours after his birth he needed to be resuscitated.

He was urgently transferred to Royal Manchester Children's Hospital where he required  expert medical treatment just to keep him alive.

For the next two months, Rowan was treated at the hospital, and following numerous tests and surgery, doctors finally diagnosed him with bilateral vocal cord palsy.

Dania was told he would likely never be able to talk, and would need to have a tracheostomy fitted.

Throughout the ordeal, Dania's mum, Jane McNulty, 60, became her rock, and now they are looking forward to celebrating Mother's Day together, with Rowan safely at home.

Dania, from Heysham said: “My mum was with me from the start, and through every aspect of Rowan’s treatment.

"She took time off work to be with me, and she really was my rock.

"She was there when I needed to talk, and convinced me that everything would be alright whenever I felt low.

"She would buy food, cook and do our washing.

"There were even two days I felt really poorly and couldn’t make it to the hospital.

"My mum told me to stay in bed, and she went over to the hospital and video called me from there to let me know everything that was going on with Rowan.”

Since this challenging time, Rowan – now 14 months old – has come on leaps and bounds and during a hospital visit in January last year, the consultant was mesmerised by how effective Rowan’s treatment had been.

His vocal chords are now working, and he’s due to have his tracheostomy removed in just a few weeks.

Having a tracheostomy puts Rowan in one of the highest risk groups for contracting Covid-19, so the family has been shielding since the start of the pandemic.

They are now excited for lockdown to be lifted, so Rowan can experience more of life.

Mum, Jane said: “Rowan’s condition came as a shock to both of us, as doctors had not spotted anything concerning while Dania was pregnant.

"It was an incredibly scary time, but I was glad I could do my part to support Dania.

"She’s always been really independent, but in this case she realised she needed support – and I was glad to be there every step of the way.”

In addition to supporting her daughter, Jane received training from the hospital on how to care for a child with a tracheostomy.

Dania added: “One of the difficulties with having a child with a tracheostomy is that not just anyone can watch them – you need to be especially trained.

"The hospital required that two people be trained on how to care for Rowan’s tracheostomy before we could be discharged.

"I’m so glad my mum received this training because it means she’s been able to continue supporting me at home as well.”

During Rowan's treatment, Dania and Jane stayed together at Ronald McDonald House Manchester.

The House provides free ‘home away from home’ accommodation to families with sick children within minutes of Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, saving families the trouble of having to travel.

Dania relied on her mum’s support at a critical time whilst they stayed in the House, and their relationship deepened from the experience.

Run by Ronald McDonald House Charities UK, the House provides much-needed respite for all members of the family.

To find out more about Ronald McDonald House Charities UK visit www.rmhc.org.uk.