Family praise Leeds hospice's 'amazing' care of baby daughter during epidemic

Jess Bagley, 22, is currently staying in Martin House children's hospice with her five-month-old daughter Mia, who suffered a brain injury at birth and was diagnosed with hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy.

Mia, who was not breathing at birth, is severely disabled and was brought to the Wetherby hospice for care.

Ms Bagley said: “We had some people come to the hospital from the hospice just to tell us a bit about the hospice and what they do, and they sounded really lovely so we decided to bring her here to spend our last memories with her.

“The staff have been really amazing and really accommodating. We’ve had our own little room.”

Ms Bagley and her partner Nathaniel Browne, 31, can take it in turns to stay with Mia to spend time with their daughter and give each other a break.

Initially, the family stayed together full-time at Martin House as Mia was not expected to live past a couple of weeks but after four weeks she rallied and was able to be brought home.

Now Mia and her parents split their time between home and the hospice.

Ms Bagley said she was surprised to find Martin House was still allowing families to stay during the epidemic and she has been impressed with how resilient the staff are and how they are always able to smile.

Though the family are forced to spend most of their time in the room due to lockdown measures, staff have been getting them everything they need to make them comfortable.

During their stay they have had visitors who have helped them make good memories.

She said: “We had an art lady who came and helped us make canvases with her foot prints, and things like that. It’s been amazing. It’s just a really beautiful place.

“I never even knew it existed before but now it feels like a second home to me.”

She hopes that talking about Mia will encourage more awareness of the services hospices provide and the importance of donating to them to ensure they survive the coronavirus epidemic.

After warning they might be forced to close this week, hospices received a rescue package from Chancellor Rishi Sunak, who announced £750m of funding for charities which are providing key services during the crisis.

While the funding has saved them from immediate closure, Martin House and other hospices in the city are encouraging donations and fundraising efforts from members of the public as they fight to stay open in the long term after the cancellation of many fundraising events and the closure of vital charity shops.

Martin Warhurst, chief executive of Martin House, said: “This money is a welcome relief in the short-term, but it in no way makes up for the loss of our voluntary income, and the

lockdown is still hurting us badly.

“But it does mean we can play our part in supporting the NHS during this crisis. We are an integral part of the healthcare system, and we are helping the fight against Covid-19 by

providing care to children who would otherwise be in hospital, and working to prevent hospital admissions, freeing up beds for coronavirus patients.”

Martin House expects to lose £1.7 million in three months due to the lock down, and estimates it could see income fall by between £4 million and £7.4 million in the coming 12

months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It relies on fundraising for nearly 90 per cent of its £9 million a year running costs, as it provides care to more than 400 babies, children and young people across West, North and

East Yorkshire with life-shortening conditions.