Mae

Life turned upside down in the space of just a few minutes for Mae and her family after a bleed on the brain left her unable to talk, speak or move. Mandy, Mae’s mum, tells us about her incredible recovery, and the difference The Grand Appeal’s Patient Hotel would’ve made to their hospital journey.

“In 2022, our eight-year-old daughter Mae suddenly collapsed from a traumatic brain injury. What started as a typical Saturday morning ended in an emergency 10-hour brain surgery that saved Mae’s life.

An abnormal cluster of blood vessels had burst in Mae’s head. We had no idea it was there. She went from being a bright, energetic, normal girl to unconscious in under two minutes.

After surgery, Mae was unable to swallow, walk, talk, eat or even move. She spent six long months in Bristol Children’s Hospital, re-learning these skills. Our lives were turned upside down.

From the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit to Bluebell and Sunflower Wards in Bristol Children’s Hospital, every step of Mae’s recovery was nothing short of a miracle. But for our family, those months were physically, emotionally, and logistically exhausting. We lived an hour away, and with Mae’s younger brother Jack at home, we found ourselves split between hospital and home, constantly worried about where to stay and how to manage the simplest daily tasks.

Support children like Mae this Christmas

Thankfully, The Grand Appeal offered us free family accommodation in Grand Appeal House, which meant we could take turns staying next to Mae. It also meant we had a place to sleep, shower, and cook. While this place was amazing, the difference would have been huge if we had had access to The Grand Appeal’s Patient Hotel, where Mae could have stayed with us together as a family in new patient and family accommodation.

If we had been able to stay at the Patient Hotel following Mae’s treatment in hospital, we also would have felt far less exhausted and far better able to support her recovery. We could have enjoyed quality time at Mae’s bedside, uninterrupted sleep, and homely comforts, all within reach. I’m sure this place – halfway between hospital and home – would have been a sanctuary where our family could rest and regroup.

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When Mae reached the rehabilitation stage of her journey, her weekly schedule was packed.

From school, speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, swimming, and so on. So much of this could have taken place in the comfort of the Patient Hotel.

David, Mae’s dad, looks back on the incredible progress Mae has made.

If you look closely at parents of long-stay patients, you can spot them a mile away. I know I looked drawn out and, in some cases, like a complete zombie, trying to accept the new trajectory of our family life. Now imagine a hospital experience without the frantic back-and-forth or never being able to find a teaspoon to make a cup of tea. When dealing with the unimaginable, like we were, the smallest comforts make the biggest difference.

For future families, this facility will be a vital support. They’ll be able to focus on what really matters – being together and supporting their child through recovery.

Mae’s recovery was miraculous, and we will forever be grateful to the incredible staff at Bristol Children’s Hospital. But families like ours also need support beyond medical care.”