BABY Aaron Nolan-Massey got his first taste of home life -- after spending 10 months in hospital.

Little Aaron became Fairfield special care baby unit's longest-staying patient before he was finally fit enough to join the family home in Radcliffe.

Born on December 6, 2003, at 29 weeks, he weighed just 2lb 8oz, and spent the first month fighting for his life.

Beset by one complication after another during the following months, he was under the constant care of medical teams at the special care baby unit and -- when he outgrew the unit in June -- on the children's ward.

His mum, Andrea, of Glenvale Close, said: "Aaron is a little fighter. He has gone through so much in his short life and now he is home.

"The staff on the baby unit and children's ward are our second family now."

Aaron was born by emergency Caesarean section after his mum suffered a placenta abruption seven months into the pregnancy.

After delivery, he was rushed into the baby unit, where he was resuscitated and put on to a ventilator.

Andrea said: "For the first month it could have gone either way for Aaron.

"Then, four weeks later, we found he had water on the brain. But he could not have the operation to remedy that until February because of his low weight. I was discharged from hospital a couple of weeks later, and it was heartbreaking to leave Aaron, but I was up at the hospital all the time."

Aaron's ventilator was due to be removed on Christmas eve, but Aaron beat staff to it.

Andrea said: "Aaron decided to dislodge it first. I think he thought he had enough of it.

"This is what I mean when I call him our little fighter!"

The youngster was due to leave hospital in April this year to join his sister, Shabana (18), and brother, Sam (7), at home.

But feeding difficulties meant he had to undergo a further operation in Pendlebury children's hospital to have a feeding tube fitted.

"This was another setback. He suffered complications following the operation and was back in intensive care for six days and put back on the ventilator.

"He developed a chest infection and meningitis."

But the determined youngster pulled through again and removed the ventilator himself.

Andrea said: "Aaron has cerebral palsy and is still oxygen dependant, but he is a strong boy and we should be able to wean him off the oxygen."

On his final day at Fairfield, Aaron joined staff and his family in supporting Jeans for Genes by wearing denim trousers for his going home party.

"The staff here have been fantastic. They organised the party, and Aaron could not have come this far without them. It has been so hard for the family and they gave us so much support," said Andrea.

Andrea described controversial proposals which could mark the end of the special care baby unit and overnight stays for children at Fairfield as "devastating".

"I will be joining the protest march against the plans," she said.

"My son has been in this hospital since he was born. How could I have coped if he was further away? The staff on special care and children's ward are second to none. This unit cannot close."