Littleport family raises £4,000 for Addenbrooke’s maternity unit in memory of baby Maisy who lost hernia battle

Scott Collen with his baby sister Maisy. (Image: Archant)

A brave family from Littleport who lost their baby girl at just five-weeks-old have raised more than £4,000 for the hospital that tried to save her.

Lisa Collen gave birth to baby Maisy on February 20 with a condition known as a diaphragmatic hernia and had only a 50 to 60 per cent chance of survival.

Doctors at the Rosie Maternity Unit and in the NICU at Addenbrookes’ Hospital battled to help Maisy through the first week and she underwent surgery to correct the hernia.

Maisy’s grieving dad, Jason, said: “The operation was a huge success but we knew there was a long way to go. We had been living at the hospital’s Chestnut House, which is charity funded, for five weeks. In the fifth week we had a phone call early in the morning to be informed our Maisy was not in a good way. By 3.30pm that afternoon we sadly said our goodbyes to our little Maisy.

“Even after only five weeks she was loved and by so many people, during our time of staying at hospital we met so many wonderful people, doctors, nurses, and other parents.

“We can’t thank people enough at Addenbrookes’ for giving us five amazing weeks with our daughter and one special moment of seeing our son Scott cuddle his baby sister; if it wasn’t for the medical team we would not have seen that.”

As a thank-you, the family organised a charity night held at the Ely Beet Club on Saturday night.

The event raised £4,000 to be used to try to help newborns who have difficulties at birth to give them a chance of a normal life.

“We want to say thanks to everyone who attended,” said Mr Collen.