Heroes offered expert care (From Darlington and Stockton Times)
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Heroes offered expert care
10:42am Friday 12th October 2012 in News
LITTLE MIRACLES: Tony, front left, and Joanne Wombwell. back, centre, and twins Jensen and Amelia present an NHS Heroes certificate to the neonatal team at The James Cook University Hospital
A SPECIALIST hospital team from the North-East, which helped save the lives of twin babies, has been named as NHS Heroes.
When Joanne Wombwell went into labour at only 23 weeks and five days, she was rushed the 120 miles from Chesterfield to Middlesbrough to give her twins the best chance of survival.
Local hospitals did not have the expertise to deal with such complex births, so the 31-year-old had to make a 999 ambulance journey to The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, in heavy snow with husband Tony, 39, following in a car behind.
A few hours later, Jensen and Amelia came into the world. The babies each weighed less than 2lb and had to undergo heart surgery at the Freeman Hospital, in Newcastle, and laser eye surgery at James Cook.
After four months on the neonatal ward, the twins were allowed home to Derbyshire.
Mr and Mrs Wombwell were so impressed they nominated the Middlesbrough neonatal team as NHS Heroes – a new national scheme to recognise outstanding achievements.
Mrs Wombwell said: “The unit gave us amazing care and support and saved our twins and there is no way we could ever repay them. If anyone deserves this recognition, they do.”
The motor neurone disease team at James Cook has also been named as NHS Heroes.
