Fundraisers go to great heights

7:50pm Saturday 5th July 2008

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ONLY 12 hours after being born, baby Eva started having fits.

She was rushed into intensive care at York Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit (SCUBU), where doctors described her condition as “critical”.

Her father, Simon Baxter, said it was a “frightening” experience but described the care she’d received as excellent. Eva recovered from her traumatic start, and is now back home but will be monitored over the next 12 months.

As a way of showing his gratitude, Simon decided to throw himself into the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge to raise funds for SCUBU.

His friend, Nathan Edwards, of Lawrence Street, York, joined him on the 24-and-a-half miles trek, which covers three of the highest peaks in the Dales and has to be done within 12 hours.

Nathan, 30, who works at Nestlé, said it was the first time he had taken on such a fundraising challenge.

Before setting off yesterday, he said: “We had already decided to do the walk, then we felt we had a purpose to do it. Simon wanted to give something back. They were so grateful for the care put in.”

He said he felt “a responsibility” to do it. “I would be embarrassed to say we attempted it and failed.”

Simon who works as a glazier with Around The Clock in York, said: “Eva, my daughter, was born three months ago at York Hospital.

“She didn’t get off with the best start in life. Twelve hours after she was born she was starting to have fits so she was straight into intensive care. It was frightening. She is our first child. They didn’t know what was causing them.

“She went into the special care baby unit and was critical for three to four days in intensive care unit so they could monitor her to make sure the fits did not start again.”

The 33-year-old, of Skipwith, said: “It was a bit touch and go. Doctors said she was in a critical condition and she was all wired up on monitors. They had to keep her in for two weeks because she was on drugs to make sure the fits wouldn’t happen again.”

Eva is now back home with Simon and his partner, Sarah.