A MUM who said she lies awake at night worrying for her son’s safety due to his rare condition and was asking for support to raise enough money to give him a safe place to sleep has been left overwhelmed by the generosity of locals who helped raise thousands of pounds.
Finn Watkinson was born at 33 weeks with a disease called Williams syndrome which affects just one in 20,000 people in the UK.
It causes mild to moderate intellectual disability, unique facial features and a distinctive outgoing and sociable personality.
Due to being born prematurely, Finn underwent a number of tests at hospitals - including Sheffield Children’s - where it was found that he had a number of issues with his heart.
However, because he was so small doctors were unable to complete any surgeries until he became a suitable weight and size.
He eventually underwent open heart surgery but, after the procedure, his mum Amy Whittingham received a call to tell her that he had suffered a cardiac arrest.
She was told to ‘say her goodbyes’ and she feared the worst - but he’s undergone a miraculous recovery ever since.
But there’s been further complications since.
Amy, from Wombwell, said: “We handed our baby over believing it would improve his future.
“Instead, due to devastating mistakes, Finn went into cardiac arrest for 90 unbearable minutes.
“He needed 22 rounds of adrenaline. He was placed on life support.
“I stood beside his hospital bed not knowing if I would ever hear my little boy’s heartbeat on its own again.
“No parent should ever have to live through that.
“Somehow - through a strength no child should ever have to find - Finn survived.
“But survival came at a cost.
“During his recovery, Finn suffered a stroke and a hypoxic ischaemic brain injury.
“The damage has changed his life forever.
“Today, my son cannot eat or drink by mouth.
“He doesn’t understand what is being said to him.
“He cannot recognise danger.
“Every single day is a battle for him.”
Amy said that she lies awake at night due to his struggle to sleep and not being safe in a standard bed - and she subsequently set up a fundraiser to try and raise money to buy a sensory bed.
She added: “I previously got a toddler bed for him and tried him, but all he wanted to do was bounce on it or climb on it and things like that.
“So, I removed everything from his bedroom and just left a mattress on the floor thinking, if he gets used to that, he can’t hurt himself on anything.
“He was then pulling up the carpet and trying to eat the underlay underneath the carpet.
“I put his cot back up and put him back in his cot, even though he can try and climb out of it and he bounces in it.
“I thought at least it’s still safer than what he’s doing when he’s not in one.
“And now he’s started eating the wood off the headboard.
“He’s chewing the headboard of the cot, peeling the paint off and getting down to the wood and actually eating the wood.
“He has already endured six operations, with more still to come, trying to repair the oesophageal damage caused by his initial injury.
“Every single night, I lie awake worrying.
“Right now, Finn is not safe sleeping in a standard bed.
“He desperately needs a specialist safe space bed - a secure, protective bed that will stop him from hurting himself during the night and finally allow him to sleep safely in his own room.”
But it comes at a cost - around £8,000 new and £3,500 second-hand.
And within hours of posting the fundraiser, the community came together to support her and raised the full amount.
“Because of the incredible love and support from our family, friends, and community, we have officially reached our goal to get my son his safe space bed,” she added.
“I truly don’t even have the words to express how grateful we are.
“Watching our community come together like this has been overwhelming in the best way.
“We are beyond blessed.”
