Heysham mum and grandma looking forward to Mother’s Day after one-year-old's recovery from rare condition

When Dania McNulty gave birth to her son Rowan in October 2019, it was clear something was not right.
Rowan with grandma Jane and mum Dania.Rowan with grandma Jane and mum Dania.
Rowan with grandma Jane and mum Dania.

Rowan was struggling to breathe and started to turn blue. Just five hours after his birth, he needed to be resuscitated.

To keep Rowan alive, he required expert medical treatment, so he was urgently transferred to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, where he was treated for the next two months.

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Through a variety of tests and surgery, doctors finally diagnosed him with Bilateral Vocal Cord Palsy.

Rowan in hospital.Rowan in hospital.
Rowan in hospital.

Dania, who is 27 and from Heysham, was told he would likely never be able to talk, and would need to have a tracheostomy fitted.

During this time, Dania and her mum, Jane McNulty, 60, stayed together at Ronald McDonald House in Manchester.

The house provides free ‘home away from home’ accommodation to families with sick children just minutes away from Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, saving families from travelling miles.

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Dania relied on her mum’s support at a critical time whilst they stayed in the house, and their relationship deepened from the experience.

Rowan's grandma Jane and mum Dania.Rowan's grandma Jane and mum Dania.
Rowan's grandma Jane and mum Dania.

Dania said: “My mum was with me from the start, and through every aspect of Rowan’s treatment.

"She took time off work to be with me, and she really was my rock. She was there when I needed to talk, and convinced me that everything would be alright whenever I felt low.

"She would buy food, cook and do our washing. There were even two days I felt really poorly and couldn’t make it to the hospital.

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"My mum told me to stay in bed, and she went over to the hospital and video called me from there to let me know everything that was going on with Rowan.”

Jane said: “I was thrilled to be able to stay in the Ronald McDonald House with Dania. Rowan’s condition came as a shock to both of us, as doctors had not spotted anything concerning while Dania was pregnant.

"It was an incredibly scary time, but I was glad I could do my part to support Dania. She’s always been really independent, but in this case she realised she needed support – and I was glad to be there every step of the way.”

In addition to supporting Dania, Jane received training from the hospital on how to care for a child with a tracheostomy.

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Dania said: “One of the difficulties with having a child with a tracheostomy is that not just anyone can watch them – you need to be specially trained.

"The hospital required that two people be trained on how to care for Rowan’s tracheostomy before we could be discharged. I’m so glad my mum received this training because it means she’s been able to continue supporting me at home as well.”

Since this challenging time, Rowan – now 14 months old – has come on leaps and bounds.

During a hospital visit in January last year, the consultant was mesmerised by how effective Rowan’s treatment had been. His vocal chords are now working, and he’s due to have his tracheostomy removed in just a few weeks.

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And now, as Mother’s Day approaches next month, Dania and Jane are looking forward to celebrating together, with Rowan safely at home.

Having a tracheostomy puts Rowan in one of the highest risk groups for contracting Covid-19, so the family has been shielding since the start of the pandemic. They are now excited for the pandemic to blow over, so Rowan can experience more of life.

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