Among those nominated to switch on the lights at the Ross-on-Wye Christmas Fayre was a woman who underwent a huge emotional challenge and then set herself another physical challenge to say thank to the team at Birmingham Women’s Hospital who helped save the life of her baby.

Claire Jackson, with her sister Jenny, completed a gruelling challenge, tackling the three Longest Lakes, three Highest Peaks and three Cycle Passes in England, Scotland and Wales in one week during July and raised £6,200. 

Last year, in the last month of her pregnancy, Claire travelled to Birmingham to be treated by the specialist doctors in the Foetal Medicine unit as her baby (Olivia) was critically ill. Olivia was delivered through a controlled c section. She was immediately rushed to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit where she was on life support for just over a week.  She spent a month in the NICU and Special Baby Unit. The new mum wasn’t able to hold her until she was seven days old and it was nine days for her husband, Haydn. It was at this point they diagnosed the problem as something quite rare - Congenital Chylothorax.

Claire said: “The amazing staff at the Birmingham Women’s Hospital did everything necessary to keep her alive and stop the fluid from reoccurring. The work that they do in this hospital is truly inspiring and pioneering, but to keep up these fantastic services costs a fortune.

Without their intervention and expertise Olivia wouldn’t be at home with us today.” See the full story in this week’s edition of the Ross Gazette, or subscribe to our online edition here