Latest news with #Ninewells
The Courier
15 hours ago
- Health
- The Courier
Perth baby resuscitated at birth and given blood transfusion gets ready to celebrate first birthday
A Perth baby who needed resuscitated at birth and was given blood transfusions to stay alive is getting ready to celebrate her first birthday. Little Ailsa Afrin suffered a rare complication before she was born and would not have survived without medical intervention. At 34 weeks pregnant, mum Eilidh Afrin attended Perth Royal Infirmary as she hadn't felt the baby kick as often as normal. The 30-year-old was immediately rushed to Ninewells Hospital to deliver Ailsa via emergency section. Ailsa received two blood transfusions and it was later determined that she had suffered a severe foetal-maternal haemorrhage – a rare complication where the baby loses blood via the placenta into the mother's bloodstream. It was a terrifying experience for the first time mum. 'When Ailsa was born, she had to be resuscitated,' said Eilidh. 'She was pale and floppy, so she was given a blood transfusion.' Speaking to The Courier, Eilidh said the early interventions saved her daughter's life. Before she attended PRI and then Ninewells, she hadn't thought the situation was overly serious. 'I was told up until that point it had been a textbook pregnancy,' said the mum. 'So there was no sign that there was anything wrong until I went in with reduced movement.' 'We didn't know why she was stopping moving until she came out and they did tests on her later. 'At the time, they were just responding to the situation in front of them – that she needed resuscitated and she needed a blood transfusion. 'It was all to do with this event we had, foetal-maternal haemorrhage, and the severity of her blood loss. 'When she was born she needed [a blood transfusion] straight away, but she was still struggling so they took her to NICU and they gave her a second blood transfusion. 'That stabilised her and set the path for her recovery – but she would not have survived without the blood transfusion.' Thankfully, mother and daughter were both fine. 'We were discharged with a healthy baby,' said Eilidh. 'We've just had some additional check-ins, they're going to follow her development for the first one or two years of her life. 'It is a positive story – the start was grim and really frightening, and was shocking for us as well because I didn't think anything was wrong. But it was.' The mum is sharing her story for Blood Donor Week on the run up to World Blood Donor Day on June 14. It falls just four days before Ailsa turns one. 'I can't believe the timing,' said Eilidh. 'It's certainly not a day we'll ever forget now because we're just so so grateful.' The Courier is running a Be Our Blood campaign, encouraging more people to register here and donate. Eilidh wanted to thank everyone involved in her daughter's care, from the first midwife she spoke to at PRI to everyone Ninewells. 'We're so appreciative to all the medical staff involved and then especially to that stranger in our local community whose donated the life-saving blood,' said Eilidh. 'If they hadn't done that then they [the medical staff] wouldn't have been able to do what they needed to.'
The Courier
4 days ago
- Health
- The Courier
Ninewells nurse fears her 'retirement has been robbed' after Raac discovered in Dundee home
A Ninewells nurse fears her 'retirement has been robbed' after her Dundee home was found to have Raac. Claire Hughes works as an auxiliary at the hospital and had been hoping to reduce her hours. But the 55-year-old is one of hundreds of homeowners across the city who has been informed their property was built using the potentially dangerous concrete. The discovery in her Whitfield Gardens home has left Claire in limbo. She said: 'I feel robbed of my retirement. 'It's like someone has just put a big wall in front of my life. 'We had plans but can we do them? We were going to do the house up and I was going to reduce my hours at work. 'But that's not an option anymore because we just don't know – we could maybe lose this house. 'Torry (in Aberdeen) got told their houses would not be getting demolished, but they are now.' Alongside our sister publication The Press and Journal, The Courier has launched our Trapped by Raac campaign to help those affected by the the issue. We're asking readers to sign this petition to give campaigners a voice at parliament. Claire bought her home, where she lives with her husband Chris, 11 years ago. But prior to the purchase she was never made aware that the property was built using Raac. 'I bought a bungalow because I work in the hospital and I see patients who get stuck there because they live in a semi', she said. 'Raac was never put on a surveyors report, concrete ceilings is what I got told. 'My son bought a house and on the report it said it may or may not contain asbestos. 'At least that gave him the choice to go research 'This is my forever house. I like my neighbours and I don't want to have to start over again in a new street.' Claire, who got married to Chris last month, added: 'It feels like your life is on hold, the uncertainty and not knowing. 'You're holding onto the money because you don't know if you will be here in two years time. 'We were planning on buying a campervan when we are mortgage free but we can't do that because we might need to invest that money to buy a new roof. 'Your whole outlook is different.' Raac is burgeoning crisis in Dundee, Monifieth and across Scotland. It was widely considered a cost effective alternative to standard material and was primarily used between the 1950s and the 1990s. However, concerns over its limited lifespan have prompted fears of structural collapses in extreme cases if water gets through cracks.
The Courier
14-05-2025
- General
- The Courier
Tears and laughter as funeral held in Dundee for 'Smiley Riley', 13
Hundreds of mourners shared tears and laughter as they gathered to say farewell to a Dundee boy who died after a lifelong health battle. Riley Welsh – known to loved ones as Smiley Riley – died in his mum Leigh's arms in April at the age of 13. There was standing room only at Dundee Crematorium on Wednesday as friends and family gathered to pay their respects. Many of those who attended wore yellow and carried sunflowers in memory of the 'strongest and bravest little boy' from Coldside, at Leigh's request. Leigh laid a sunflower on Riley's wicker coffin as she said her goodbyes during the funeral. In a specially recorded video message, Leigh also paid a special thanks to those who had helped care for Riley during his life – including the medical team at Ninewells Children's Hospital. The service was taken by Ali Pandian, the chaplain at Rachel House in Kinross, where Riley has spent so much time over the years. She said: 'Leigh had Riley when she was 19 and in a way they grew up together. 'Riley was just the happiest wee boy. He has this huge smile, which very quickly meant he got called Smiley Riley.' Describing the life of the former Kingspark School pupil, Ali said: 'One thing that Leigh became aware of was that Riley was going to write his own rule book – everyone in his life just walked or ran alongside him for the journey, which was sometimes a bit like a Tough Mudder. 'Riley started at Kingspark School in 2016 and was in a class with Jayden, Sophie, PJ and Amy. 'The five of them stayed together all the way up and were a great group of pals. 'Riley was so good at school and was a proud member of the Kingspark community. 'It was in school that Riley became known as Smiley Riley Roo.' Ali described Riley as the 'strongest and bravest little boy, who approached all that life gave him with courage and warmth'. She also recalled the many 'brilliant memories' he had shared with loved ones, and how Ninewells staff had given him the nickname Captain Curveball because he was 'always surprising them'. Ali added: 'Riley died peacefully surrounded by some close family and friends, snuggled in next to his mum. 'Leigh takes great comfort from knowing that Riley is now at peace, and that Auntie Clare would have been there for him when he got to heaven, as well as Grandad Robert, who will now be up there teaching him all the bad words and showing him around. 'Remember Riley – remember the light that surrounded him and made you feel warm. 'Remember how he brought out the best in people and captured everyone's hearts.' Riley was born with microcephaly, a condition which stems from the skull being small and impacts brain development, leaving him immobile and non-verbal. He was also born with a tracheo-oesophageal fistula, which meant his oesophagus wasn't attached to his stomach, leaving him unable to swallow food. Riley also had a hole in his heart, and was epileptic, blind and deaf.
Scotsman
05-05-2025
- Health
- Scotsman
The 'innovative' hospital celebrated in new V&A Dundee exhibition - from keyhole surgery to IVF
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A wooden prosthetic leg made in 1947 and stories of dozens of doctors, nurses, hospital porters and other staff are to feature in an exhibition about Dundee's medical history to mark the anniversary of Ninewells Hospital. Ninewells Hospital: Care, Community and Innovation, at the V&A museum in Dundee, explores the breadth of design at the hospital, from the architecture of the building itself to the ground-breaking innovations developed within its walls and across Tayside. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad As the first hospital in the UK to embed a medical school within its design, Ninewells Hospital, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, pioneered a forward-thinking approach to healthcare. Its innovative architecture allowed for future expansion and ensured every floor had ground-level access due to its slope-side location. Felix Mulholland enjoys the keyhole surgery interactive display at V&A Dundee's Ninewells Hospital exhibition. | Alan Richardson Told through an interactive, visual timeline dating back to 1798, the free exhibition also highlights some of Dundee and Tayside's broader medical milestones, alongside the breakthroughs and contributions of visionary individuals. The timeline showcases globally significant advancements in personalised medicine, education, and research – from keyhole surgery and smear tests to innovations in cancer care – many of which stem from the University of Dundee's close ties to the hospital and have shaped the delivery of everyday care worldwide. The exhibition also features an array of surgical artefacts and medical instruments, including prototype keyhole surgery tools designed at Ninewells, where the technique was pioneered. Many of these items have been donated by NHS Tayside and the Tayside Medical History Museum. An historic photograph of a commissioning ward bay in Ninewells Hospital is part of the exhibition. | V&A The essential role of design in developing bespoke mobility aids will be showcased through a spotlight on the Tayside Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Technology Centre, the only facility in Scotland to offer in-house assessment, design and production of custom prosthetics, orthotics and mobility aids. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad To illustrate the evolution of design techniques, a prosthetic leg made in Dundee, crafted from wood and metal in 1947, will be displayed alongside a contemporary prosthetic leg featuring a Bluetooth microprocessor created specifically for the exhibition. A new film explores the intersection of traditional craft techniques and modern healthcare through the creation of mobility aids. Louise Dickson, assistant curator at V&A Dundee, said: 'Dundee has long been home to medical innovation, changing lives across the globe. From pioneers in IVF and keyhole surgery to revolutionary hospital design, the exhibition showcases the city's ongoing legacy of progress and care. It highlights how Ninewells Hospital continues to evolve, delivering healthcare around the clock to thousands of people. 'Most people living in Dundee or Tayside have a connection to Ninewells. Whether you or a family member were born there, studied there or know someone who has been treated there, it touches all of us. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'This exhibition will spark memories, pride and powerful conversations, but its story doesn't end here. Dundee and Tayside continue to inspire and influence the future of healthcare worldwide and, as Scotland's design museum, we are delighted to celebrate that.'
Scotsman
05-05-2025
- Health
- Scotsman
The 'innovative' hospital celebrated in new V&A Dundee exhibition - from keyhole surgery to IVF
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A wooden prosthetic leg made in 1947 and stories of dozens of doctors, nurses, hospital porters and other staff are to feature in an exhibition about Dundee's medical history to mark the anniversary of Ninewells Hospital. Ninewells Hospital: Care, Community and Innovation, at the V&A museum in Dundee, explores the breadth of design at the hospital, from the architecture of the building itself to the ground-breaking innovations developed within its walls and across Tayside. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad As the first hospital in the UK to embed a medical school within its design, Ninewells Hospital, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, pioneered a forward-thinking approach to healthcare. Its innovative architecture allowed for future expansion and ensured every floor had ground-level access due to its slope-side location. Felix Mulholland enjoys the keyhole surgery interactive display at V&A Dundee's Ninewells Hospital exhibition. | Alan Richardson Told through an interactive, visual timeline dating back to 1798, the free exhibition also highlights some of Dundee and Tayside's broader medical milestones, alongside the breakthroughs and contributions of visionary individuals. The timeline showcases globally significant advancements in personalised medicine, education, and research – from keyhole surgery and smear tests to innovations in cancer care – many of which stem from the University of Dundee's close ties to the hospital and have shaped the delivery of everyday care worldwide. The exhibition also features an array of surgical artefacts and medical instruments, including prototype keyhole surgery tools designed at Ninewells, where the technique was pioneered. Many of these items have been donated by NHS Tayside and the Tayside Medical History Museum. An historic photograph of a commissioning ward bay in Ninewells Hospital is part of the exhibition. | V&A The essential role of design in developing bespoke mobility aids will be showcased through a spotlight on the Tayside Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Technology Centre, the only facility in Scotland to offer in-house assessment, design and production of custom prosthetics, orthotics and mobility aids. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad To illustrate the evolution of design techniques, a prosthetic leg made in Dundee, crafted from wood and metal in 1947, will be displayed alongside a contemporary prosthetic leg featuring a Bluetooth microprocessor created specifically for the exhibition. A new film explores the intersection of traditional craft techniques and modern healthcare through the creation of mobility aids. Louise Dickson, assistant curator at V&A Dundee, said: 'Dundee has long been home to medical innovation, changing lives across the globe. From pioneers in IVF and keyhole surgery to revolutionary hospital design, the exhibition showcases the city's ongoing legacy of progress and care. It highlights how Ninewells Hospital continues to evolve, delivering healthcare around the clock to thousands of people. 'Most people living in Dundee or Tayside have a connection to Ninewells. Whether you or a family member were born there, studied there or know someone who has been treated there, it touches all of us. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'This exhibition will spark memories, pride and powerful conversations, but its story doesn't end here. Dundee and Tayside continue to inspire and influence the future of healthcare worldwide and, as Scotland's design museum, we are delighted to celebrate that.'
