A Lincolnshire mum is training for the London Marathon in April to raise money for the RAF Association who supported her and her family when her newborn son needed urgent surgery.
In May 2023, Lois O’Connor and her husband Josh, from Waddington, Lincolnshire, discovered their baby had a tracheoesophageal fistula, an abnormal connection between the oesophagus and trachea, and an oesophageal atresia, where the upper and lower section of the oesophagus don’t connect, stopping food reaching the stomach.
The urgent surgery needed to correct these conditions would be made more complicated by a cardiac issue called a right aortic arch, and the fact their baby only had one kidney.
As well as complicated surgery days after birth, their baby would need a stay on the neonatal intensive care unit at Leicester Royal Infirmary Hospital, well over an hour away from their home.
RAF Logistics Officer Lois said:
“From where we live, getting to the hospital for appointments, scans and tests, and coming home again, could easily take a whole day. There were lots of logistics involved to make sure our older son Lando, who was 18-months old at the time, was looked after.”
When baby Flynn was born in September 2023, he was whisked away to the neonatal intensive care unit and at two-days-old, had his surgery. Lois and Josh were able to stay at the hospital but were warned they may have to give their room up at a moment’s notice.
Lois and Josh contacted the RAF Association’s welfare team to see if they could help. The highly trained casework team sprang into action, providing emergency financial assistance to help the couple pay for essentials like food and hospital parking.
The team liaised with other charities on the family’s behalf, securing £2,000 in funding, allowing Josh to be with his family without the worry of having to rush back to work.
Lando had recently started attending RAFAKidz Digby, a nursery managed by the RAF Association. The team there stepped up to make sure he was looked after while his parents attended hospital appointments and prepared for Flynn’s arrival.
“They understood the situation and they all genuinely cared. They checked in with us before and after appointments to make sure we were OK. They took the time to make sure Lando was settled, and they sent us regular updates, which helped put our minds at ease. They really went above and beyond for us,” said Lois.
Flynn is now just over a year old and thriving. Despite missing a kidney, he’s leading a perfectly normal life. He will need regular check-ups for his cardiac issue going forward but won’t need any more surgery.
Lois is now training for the London Marathon next year to raise money for the Association as a thank-you for all their help.
“I could say thank-you until the cows come home, but it wouldn’t be enough for what the team did,” said Lois.
Help Lois reach her fundraising goal here: justgiving.com/page/loisamyoc-runforrafa
