After the community rallied around to help her son walk again, a mum is sending Christmas cards to those in hospital in Spalding who might otherwise be lonely as a way of saying thank you.
Melissa Evans of Pinchbeck has even enlisted the children from the Sunflower Lodge Pre-School in Pinchbeck to make cards to hand out to patients at Johnson Hospital.
Her son Kieran Evans (17) is slowly building up his strength after donations from the community helped raise £13,000 for the cerebral palsey sufferer to have some of the nerves in his spinal cord cut.
He was initially given just 12 hours to live after being born three-and-a-half months premature, but has continuously defied medical predictions.
Kieran even learned to walk himself, but then 18 months ago suddenly began losing that ability and was devastated to be told he’d lose all mobility from the waist down in the next five years.
However hope came in the form of a new operation and Melissa spear-headed the campaign to fund it for Kieran.
After months of fundraising, Kieran went through the operation this September.
He’s already been walking and slowly building up his fitness, including continuing sessions with Heroes Gym in Pinchbeck.
Kieran’s also back part-time at his school in Derby as his recovery continues.
Once again Kieran’s exceeding expectations and that’s left his mum thankful for the community that’s helped her son.
Melissa has worked at Johnson Hospital for the last 10 years and is a phlebotomist and health care support worker as well as working in the blood clinic.
She said: “I’ve been blown away by everyone’s kindness and support with Kieran’s fundraiser and I wanted to do something nice back.
“A few weeks ago at work I was talking to a patient who mentioned that Christmas was a lonely time for them as they had no friends or family and, what with being ill and in hospital, they wouldn’t receive Christmas cards.
“I decided that it would be nice to make some Christmas cards for patients that come to the Johnson Hospital as well as inpatients up on the ward.
“Originally I had hoped for 25 cards but once I posted on Facebook what I was doing I soon found that I was receiving loads of cards to give out from friends and work colleagues and the childcare nurseries they use, Honey Pots and Brambles.
“It actually turns out I have over 80 Christmas cards.
“We’re handing some out in Outpatients at the hospital and already I’ve handed some out in the phlebotomy clinic and they have been gratefully received.
Sunflower Lodge Childcare heard about the initiative and offered to help.
Their children designed a host of cards and four were chosen to donate them to patients.
Lisa Oddie from Sunflower Lodge said: “The nursery visit was a huge success and it was great they were able to spread some Christmas joy.”
“We are also visiting a local care home every couple of weeks.
“We are very passionate about bringing the different generations together and the children and residents love it!”
