Nephew’s Life-Saving Surgery Inspired Grateful Aunt To Step Up For Sick Kids

A grateful aunt stepped up for sick kids and raised over £1,500 for our charity, clocking 10,000 steps a day in heartfelt thanks for the doctors and surgeons who saved her baby nephew’s life.

Natasha Bailey, from Stoke-on-Trent, put her best foot forward for brave patients and walked 10,000 daily steps throughout February on behalf of our hospital, combining her fitness goals with a desire to give back to the staff who were there for her family when they needed it most.

Her nephew, Arthur, was just nine days old when he experienced heart failure due to coarctation of the aorta, a serious condition where the main artery from the heart is too narrow and therefore cannot send enough blood around the body.

The infant was placed into a medical coma in his local hospital then blue lighted to our hospital, where he was rushed into emergency surgery. After a seven-hour operation on Arthur’s heart, his frightened family were overjoyed to learn that the surgery had been a success. The little boy has made an incredible recovery and, nine months on, is now back at home with his family.

Moved by heartfelt gratitude for the life-saving action of clinicians, particularly Arthur’s consultant, Dr Mike Harris and surgeon Tim Jones, Natasha took on the daily step challenge, walking around local parks in all weathers to reach her goal.

Natasha recorded daily videos for Instagram and TikTok while walking as a way of encouraging her friends and family to support her fundraising, sharing her personal story and the difference the money raised would make to sick kids like Arthur. The supportive comments in her social media feed kept her going, and she was thrilled to raise over £1,500 for our charity, smashing her target.

Natasha said: “I work from home, so I wanted to get fitter after Christmas, especially after spraining my knee a couple of months before. A step challenge felt like the perfect way to move more while also making strides for brave patients like Arthur, who means the absolute world to me.

“It’s easy to lose motivation with a daily challenge, but knowing the difference the money would make to families like ours going through some of the toughest times imaginable kept me going. The outpouring of support online was also amazing, and I’m already thinking about ways of fundraising again in the future.”

Annie Eytle, Head of Public Fundraising at Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “Keeping up 10,000 steps every day isn’t always easy, but we’re thrilled to see how Natasha’s stepped up her game in Arthur’s name and made real strides on behalf of our sick kids.

“Raising over £1,500 is a fantastic achievement, and the funds will help us be there for our brave patients and their families when they need us the most.”