PROUD mother Faye Rose has said son Harry would not be here today if it was not for her Hospital Heroes at Oxford’s John Radcliffe.

The 29-year-old, from Oxford, has nominated special and intensive care baby unit staff (SCBU) for caring for premature Harry after his 2012 birth.

The Oxford Mail is seeking nominations for our Hospital Heroes awards, which close tomorrow.

This will honour one outstanding individual and team who work for Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Mrs Rose, of Desborough Crescent, Rose Hill, was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia after seeing her midwife at Hollow Way Medical Centre, based in Cowley, for swelling.

She was taken to hospital after concerns about her blood pressure and urine test.

The condition pre-eclampsia is characterised by high blood pressure, swelling, headaches, pains and vision problems.

She said: “The midwife said my blood pressure was so high she didn’t want me to drive to the hospital.”

Medics spoke with her about a premature birth and she said: “It was absolutely shocking, you think the worst, you think ‘how could a boy possibly survive being so small?’ “You start thinking ‘is the child going to have a disability’?”

After three weeks in the Silver Star Unit, Harry was born on March 14 at 29 weeks weighing just 2lb3oz, 11 weeks earlier than his mother expected.

Mrs Rose, a part-time nursery nurse at Pegasus School, Blackbird Leys, said: “I was told that the baby would be very small and would probably not be breathing – he came out screaming.”

Married to water leakage firm supervisor Steven, 28, Mrs Rose said of the SCBU: “They saved my little boy’s life.

“The care and compassion the unit gives to parents while caring for extremely sick babies is outstanding.

“They go to work every day and look after six babies who might die. It is a job I couldn’t do but somebody has to do it.

“It was just the way they were with him. I got to hold him for the first time on Mother’s Day.

“I said ‘he’s too small, I can’t hold him’. She said ‘you will be fine, you need to bond’.”

Mrs Rose – who is 23 weeks pregnant with her second child – has kept in touch with one nurse at the unit, Loris King.

Mrs Rose said of her two-year-old son: “His health is absolutely fine. He is a little bit slow with his development as he was born very early.”

Senior Staff Nurse Ms King said of the nomination: “I can’t believe it. I’m only doing my job. I love my work but I also love it when the babies I look after go home, because that’s what we’re working towards.”

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