A couple from Wigan transformed their wedding celebrations into a heartfelt thank you to staff at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, inspired by the lifesaving care their teenage daughter received after developing sepsis.

For their wedding ceremony last December, Rebecca and Steve Middlehurst asked family and friends to make donations to Manchester Foundation Trust Charity, which raises funds to support the Trust’s family of ten hospitals, in place of gifts. The couple raised £920 to support the Resuscitation, Intensive Care and High Dependency Units at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital that cared for their daughter, Lara, during her critical illness last year.

Lara’s Story

Lara, who is now 13, was admitted to hospital last February after suddenly developing a high temperature, which rapidly escalated in just a matter of hours.

Rebecca said: “Lara had developed a temperature, but she had no other symptoms at all. No pain, no flu-like symptoms, there was nothing that immediately rang any alarm bells. We genuinely thought she just had a virus and that it would pass quickly.”

Within hours, Lara began complaining of abdominal pain and was taken to A&E at her local hospital, where doctors initially suspected appendicitis. It was only after her condition continued to deteriorate that she was taken into an emergency CT scan, which detected free fluid around her kidney.

Further investigations by surgeons revealed multiple abscesses on Lara’s right kidney and her family was informed that she had developed sepsis. Lara was then blue-lighted to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital (RMCH’s) Resuscitation ward to be treated by specialists.

Rebecca added: “At the time we were so panicked and scared. I’m an ex-nurse, so the words I didn’t want to hear was sepsis and multi-organ involvement, which Lara had both.

“Shorty after Lara was moved to the Intensive Care Unit to be stabilised. We just kept asking if she was stable and staff kept telling us that she was only slightly more stable than previously.

Fortunately, Lara began responding to antibiotics and her condition was eventually stabilised by doctors. After spending time in RMCH’s High Dependency Unit, the 13-year-old was able to return home a few days later and was advised to rest.

Rebecca added: “Coming home, Lara was very emotional. She cried in the car during the journey back and doesn’t have much memory of when she was at her most poorly. The realisation of just how unwell she was and that she nearly didn’t get to come home at all has really stayed with her.

“Looking back, the process by Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital was incredible. There was a plan for everything, and if something didn’t work, there was always a backup. It was a whole team of people making decisions together to support Lara and keep her alive.

“I have no doubt that without the teams on the High Dependency Unit, the Resuscitation ward and the Intensive Care Unit, Lara would not be here today.”

Although Lara has since been discharged, she continues to live with severe chronic fatigue as a result of her illness, affecting her mobility and daily life. She currently uses a wheelchair when going out and receives home tutoring while she continues her recovery, with ongoing support from hospital services.

Rebecca and Steve’s Wedding

For Rebecca and Steve, the idea to fundraise through their wedding was inspired by Lara herself, with the family hoping it would give her something positive to look forward to after months of hospital treatment and recovery.

Rebecca said: “It was initially Steve’s idea for us to get re-married, after everything we’d been through as a family, we wanted to give Lara an event to look forward to and she absolutely loved it. We had Lara as a bridesmaid; she also helped with our wedding planning and is very good at keeping secrets from her dad!

“Steve and myself have been together since we were sixteen, we have everything we need now. So, we wanted people to give gifts and use it as an opportunity to give back to the hospital that saved Lara’s life.”

The celebrations also included a surprise appearance from the 99th Garrison, a volunteer-led Star Wars costume organisation, organised in secret as part of the family’s fundraising efforts. Eleven members of the 99th Garrison attended in their own time and at their own cost, waiving any fee because the appearance was in support of charity.

Rebecca said: “Me and Lara worked behind the scenes to organise the Garrison as a surprise. Steve had absolutely no idea they were coming, and it was a complete shock. He and Lara’s brothers are huge Star Wars fans, so it meant so much to him.

“We raised a total of £920 and were absolutely blown away, our family and friends were completely supportive of our decision having seen us go through this awful journey with Lara and come out the other side.”

Now recovering from her ordeal, Lara dreams of becoming a beautician or a hairdresser when she’s older and continues to remain positive about the future.

Rebecca added: “We feel positive about the future, in the face of adversity Lara has stayed strong and despite her struggles every day, she is getting better and stronger.

“Lara was having hypnotherapy for anxiety before she became unwell. While in hospital, we used recordings from her sessions to help her through painful procedures. Seeing how much it helped inspired me to train as a hypnotherapist myself.

“Once I graduate in May, I want to volunteer to help other parents going through similar experiences to show them that there is light at the end of the tunnel.”

Relationship Officer at Manchester Foundation Trust Charity, Anna Rosehill said: “We are so grateful to Lara, Rebecca and Steve for their incredible and ongoing support.

“Their generosity and kindness not only celebrate the lifesaving work of our teams but also inspire everyone around them. The vital work carried out by our nurses, doctors and wider hospital teams makes an extraordinary difference to patients and their families across our communities.”