Best friend makes urgent plea for Waterford mum with chronically ill baby boy
Baby Billy's severe condition has meant that he has not left hospital since being born in December 2023 and mum Rebecca Dalton has barely left either. Having been diagnosed with a rare genetic syndrome, baby Billy will need specialist care and an adapted home to leave hospital, while Rebecca is currently unable to leave his side to return to work, with bills mounting up.
To support her best friend, Rachel Byrne has set up an online fundraising campaign, describing her friend's situation as 'heartbreaking'.
'She doesn't get out of the hospital much at all,' she added. 'Only very, very rarely. Since he's been in the hospital for 17 months now, she's actually only been out of the hospital twice overnight. And that was down to her home place.'
Rachel told independent.ie that she and Rebecca are old friends going back ten years or more to their days working in Waterford's Tower Hotel together.
Rachel said they are still waiting to get home help for Rebecca and Billy, and more tests are pending.
'They are just waiting for results, until she knows more it's up in the air each week. There are always setbacks,' she said.
Billy was born premature at 32 weeks on December 8, 2023. He was transferred to Crumlin after three days in Waterford University Hospital.
Billy has been diagnosed with Noonan Syndrome, a rare genetic syndrome that affects many parts of the body. He has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, pulmonary valve stenosis and a hole in his heart.
Between December, 2023, and March, 2024, Billy suffered from cardiac arrest and respiratory arrest on three difference occasions, he was intubated numerous times, until the doctors came to the decision that he would need a tracheostomy. Billy was in ICU up until this point.
Billy received his tracheostomy in April of 2024 and was transferred to the Transitional Care Unit. Multiple infections, including sepsis, viral respiratory infections and bacterial infections, have caused him to have many setbacks, resulting in him going up and down to ICU a further six times from May to November last year.
In August of 2024 Billy underwent surgery for a PEG (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy) because of his feeding issues. Due to oral aversions and gut dysmotility this was a much needed surgery.
'But since, his gut issues have not subsided and it is what's keeping them in hospital at the moment,' said Rachel. 'They are looking at a further three plus months in hospital.
'Billy has not had the chance to have a normal start in life and has spent almost 17 months in hospital so far, and they are desperate to get home.
'Billy will need a full-time carer which means for the foreseeable Rebecca will not be able to return to work. She is Billy's sole carer.'
Rachel said it's 'not looking great' on Thursday this week, as they are waiting on nurses at the moment to help Rebecca and Billy.
'She needs nurses to stay in the home in Waterford. That's why we've set up this GoFundMe. She was given a special house down in Waterford that will accommodate Billy when they do move home.
'She pays bills for that house now, and then she has to fully furnish it. Then she has to get all the machines that Billy is going to need. She will need proper equipment to set her up.
'She's also paying for the Ronald McDonald house that she's staying in every week as well. They supply food – they cook dinners, but she just stays in the hospital 24/7. She has to be there.'
Still, Rebecca, is 'over the moon' that the campaign has raised over €2,100 in donations so far.
"She was really struggling there,' she said. 'Her head was over the water, she really didn't know what she was going to do.'
Rachel's fundraising campaign is available to donate at gofundme.com by searching for 'Rebecca and Billy'.
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