When baby Molly was just four weeks old, she became critically ill with a rare virus that developed into bronchiolitis and sepsis. Born prematurely, her tiny body couldn’t cope and she was urgently transferred to Evelina London where she was placed onto Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), a temporary life support system for patients whose lungs or heart have stopped working properly.
Rose said, “The virus was so vicious that her lungs needed a break, and the ECMO machine intervened to act as her lungs. There was nothing else after this for Molly, I knew that ECMO was the highest level of care.”
For seven weeks, Evelina London became a home from home for Molly and her family while she received life-saving treatment in intensive care. During this scary time, they celebrated their first Christmas together at Molly’s bedside, just after she had come off ECMO. One of the caring nurses helped Molly’s mum, Rose, decorate her cot, and on Christmas morning Santa made a special visit, bringing wonderful gifts.
Today, Molly is a feisty four-year-old who loves ballet, glitter and anything pink. “She’s just got this inner fire in her,” says Rose. “I think she was born with it. And that’s what’s got her through it all.”
