Dogsthorpe family's fundraiser as dad only able to visit baby with two holes in heart once in hospital

A Peterborough mum, who had to temporarily relocate to Leicester so that her baby can receive specialist medical treatment, has started a GoFundMe page to help tackle the costs involved.

Amanda Farr, 44, from Dogsthorpe, was transferred from Peterborough City Hospital to Leicester Royal Infirmary urgently two weeks ago when doctors discovered her four-month-old baby, Esmae, had a hole in her heart.

Amanda, who was expecting a straightforward confirmation of a chest infection when she took Esmae to Peterborough City Hospital, recalled the moment she received the devastating news: “They checked her over, confirmed bronchiolitis then did a scan on her heart. [A staff member then] pulled me to one side and said: ‘did you know that she’s got a hole in her heart?’”

“I just burst into tears.”

Carrying only a bag of essential items, Amanda and Esmae were taken directly to the intensive care unit within Leicester’s Children’s Hospital.

Further scans revealed not one but two holes in Esmae’s heart: one large and one small. Other complications were also identified:

“She’s got two holes,” Amanda explained, “plus a narrowed ventricle and a valve that hasn’t closed up.”

Unfortunately, Esmae has yet to receive the open-heart surgery she needs. This is because the brave little tot is currently battling Respiratory Syncytial Virus, so-called ‘kissing disease.’

“She’s still got the RSV,” Amanda said.

“There’s nothing they [doctors] can do apart from wait for that to go by itself because it won’t be treated by any antibiotics.”

Amanda, who is on maternity leave, is in limbo; waiting.

She splits her time between Esmae’s hospital bed and accommodation provided by the hospital for rest.

Prohibitive travel costs and soaring domestic bills have restricted partner Wayne from being able to visit Esmae and Amanda more than once.

The self-employed groundsman also has to work and look after his eight-year-old stepdaughter.

The GoFundMe page, at the time of writing, has raised close to £500.

“I did the GoFundMe page because I needed help,” Amanda admits. “If we’ve got any money left over from it [then] we’re going to donate it to the children’s intensive care unit.”

“If it wasn’t for them, I don’t know where we’d be.”