Parents lead campaign in baby Isabella’s name
Ryan and Lyndsey Senior lost their daughter Isabella Grace to Bronchiolitis when she was three months old.
A FAMILY is leading a health campaign to raise awareness of the respiratory infection which took their daughter’s life.
Isabella Grace Senior was only a few weeks old when she developed bronchiolitis, an inflammation of the smallest airways in the lungs.
She passed away in February, aged 10 weeks, in the children’s paediatric intensive care unit at Leeds General Infirmary.
Now her parents, Ryan and Lyndsey Senior, hope to raise awareness of the condition and funds for hospital equipment.
Mr Senior, a member of Hanging Heaton Cricket Club, said: “We knew whether she survived or passed away, it was something we would be doing.
“Sadly, we can only give back in Isabella’s memory. The only thing we can look forward to is if that equipment is able to save another child’s life.”
The early symptoms of bronchiolitis are similar to those of a common cold, and include a runny nose and cough. The illness, usually caused by a virus, is most common between November and March.
According to the NHS, around a third of children in the UK develop bronchiolitis in their first year of life.
But Mr Senior, 30, said they had known little about it before Isabella fell ill.
“We had never heard of it,” he said.
“Once they said what it was, we thought it would be okay and they would be able to do something.”
Around three per cent of babies with bronchiolitis need to go to hospital, with most discharged after two to four days.
Mr Senior, a police constable with Bradford division, was joined by around 35 colleagues on Friday for a 26-mile sponsored walk from Armley to Skipton.
He said: “We’re really pleased with how it went. We’ve collected £300 just from donations on the day.”
He said passers-by asked questions about the campaign’s aims and were kind enough to make donations.
“There were various injuries and blisters, but in the main it was great and we all had a celebratory drink at the end,” he said.
“The staff at the Bay Horse even donated their tip from the evening.”
One of the family’s next events is a fundraising concert at Batley Frontier with comedian Billy Pearce and comedy hypnotist Grant Saunders.
The show on Sunday November 18 starts at 8pm and doors open at 7pm.
Tickets cost £15. Email info@isabellagrace.org.uk or call the box office on 01924 422122.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Batley
Thursday 23 May 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 5 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 5 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 28 mph
Wind direction: North east
