Ada celebrates first birthday after surviving 16 operations

Ada Atkinson has just celebrated her first birthday against the odds after surviving 16 operations – and she’s still smiling, Catherine Scott says.
Ada celebrated her first birthday last weekAda celebrated her first birthday last week
Ada celebrated her first birthday last week

Behind her cheeky smile, you would never guess that Ada Atkinson had been through 16 operations since she was born.

At her 20-week scan, Ada’s parents Simon Atkinson and Chelsea Moore were heartbroken to discover that their baby’s food pipe was joined to her windpipe and wasn’t connected to her stomach properly.

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Ada was born naturally at 36 weeks and was taken straight to Sheffield Children’s Hospital for surgery and treatment. At just 24 hours old, Ada underwent surgery to disconnect her windpipe from the oesophagus and reconnect her oesophagus to the stomach.

Ada with dad Simon and ChelseaAda with dad Simon and Chelsea
Ada with dad Simon and Chelsea

“It was a major, major, operation for her 4lb 8oz body,” recalls mum Chelsea. “She was in theatre for six-and-a-half hours and it was the longest time of our lives.” To recover from such a big operation, Ada had to be paralysed, sedated, and a ventilator took over her breathing.

“Once Ada was woken up and off the ventilator we had another major setback during the night as one of her lungs collapsed, The surgeons and doctors said it could take anything from weeks to months for it to heal naturally, and for us to prepare for that eventuality. We were worried, scared and devastated, not knowing what the next few months would bring.”

The couple knew that it meant they would need to find somewhere close to their tiny baby while she was in intensive care.

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Chelsea said: “We found out about The Sick Children’s Trust which runs Homes from Home, offering families a place to stay free of charge when their children are in hospital.

Ada had to undergo 16 operations before her first birthdayAda had to undergo 16 operations before her first birthday
Ada had to undergo 16 operations before her first birthday

“Initially we weren’t going to stay there and thought we’d be able to go home every day as we live in Sheffield, but seeing how fragile she was and how her condition could change so quickly during her post-op recovery, we just couldn’t leave her.

“Having (Home from Home) Magnolia House there, knowing we could be on the ward in seconds if anything was to happen, was a lifesaver. It was just a hallway and a door away.”

Ada spent five months on the Neonatal Unit

“It’s still a long way to recovery but she is the happiest, smiliest, cheekiest one year old baby you could ever meet. She is so strong and resilient that you wouldn’t know all the struggles she has. She is an amazing little girl and a true warrior,” Chelsea said.

Ada was just 24 hours old when she had her first operation at Sheffield Children's HospitalAda was just 24 hours old when she had her first operation at Sheffield Children's Hospital
Ada was just 24 hours old when she had her first operation at Sheffield Children's Hospital
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The Sick Children’s Trust was founded in 1982 by Dr Jon Pritchard and Professor James Malpas, both working at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

In 1984 the charity opened its first ‘Home from Home’ – Rainbow House, London. Since then they have opened another nine houses in Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, Cambridge and London.

The are now supporting more than 3,500 families each year.

www.sickchildrenstrust.org/

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