Our world was turned upside down in an instance

Our daughter Issey was born in March 2010, four weeks early. At the time everything appeared to be fine, she was doing very well and we were extremely proud parents.

At about six weeks old our health visitor came for a routine visit to our house in Norwich and noticed that her breathing was a little heavy and asked us to book an appointment with the doctor immediately. Although concerned, we just thought that Issey had a cold and she had mucus that she could not disperse.

However, after seeing her, the doctor referred Issey for an appointment at the local hospital for some very thorough examinations. It was at this appointment that our world fell apart.



There we were told that our daughter had a hole in her heart and she was referred to cardiac specialists at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Within a month we found ourselves on our way to London so that Issey could undergo her pre-operation assessment before the big operation the following day.

That night, the hospital put us up in a hotel so that we could all be together, but after that they told us that they could only accommodate my wife Louise who could stay with Issey until she came home. I was left to find alternative accommodation. This was something that had never crossed our minds. I guess we just hoped that we would find something close by where we could all be together. I did not account for not only the emotional strain of the thought of being separated from my daughter and wife during an extremely stressful time but also the financial cost of staying at a hotel or bed and breakfast in central London.

Thankfully we were put in contact with The Sick Children’s Trust and its ‘Home from Home’ Rainbow House which is situated just round the corner from the hospital. They had a room that was available so the both Louise and I could be together whilst Issey was being cared for in hospital. Sandra the house manager was so understanding, helpful and considerate to our situation and she took a big pressure off us.

Being at Rainbow House meant we could focus on spending time with our daughter whilst being together through those initial difficult days after Issey’s operation. The house was very comforting with all mod-cons and was always clean and tidy and, given the circumstances, was a lovely, warm place to be.

The fact that we were given our own key so that we could come and go as we pleased was a blessing as it meant we could spend as much time as we wanted at the hospital with our little girl.

I cannot thank The Sick Children’s Trust enough. They were there when we needed them most and without them I do not think we would have coped as parents. I had never heard of The Sick Children’s Trust before and I guess that I probably would not have heard of them today if Issey had not been ill. However, having experienced what they do I can only reiterate what a worthwhile charity it is because what they offer to families at a very difficult time is so, so important.

Issey’s operation was a complete success and while she will be monitored for the rest of life, it’s like having a new baby home with us - she is now developing like a normal six month old. We are so grateful to all concerned in helping her on the road to recovery, including The Sick Children’s Trust.

Mark Carpenter, Issey’s dad