Transforming care for girl who nearly died four times

Six-year-old Lillie-May Holey, from Forest Town, has spent much of her short life in and out of hospital.
Lillie-May Holey with her brother and sister, Ben and Kaci at their Forest Town home.Lillie-May Holey with her brother and sister, Ben and Kaci at their Forest Town home.
Lillie-May Holey with her brother and sister, Ben and Kaci at their Forest Town home.

After being born at just 23 weeks, weighing a tiny 1lb 2oz, she has had multiple complications and has needed over 40 operations.

But mum Amanda Munt says the care she has received from King’s Mill nurse Esther Jenkinson has transformed their lives.

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Amanda said: “Lillie-May has been in and out of intensive care and has nearly died four times.

“She tends to do drastic very quickly - whenever she gets a temperature everyone starts to panic and we need to get her seen very quickly because she can go downhill in 24 hours.”

Lillie-May has needed operations on her heart, a perforated bowel and to fit a tracheostomy, and she has cerebral palsy and chronic lung disease.

But despite such a list of ailments, she has dealt with everything thrown at her and is even well enough to attend Fountaindale School.

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Amanda says that the help the family receives from King’s Mill Hospital’s complex needs nurse Esther Jenkinson has ‘changed everything’.

“Esther has made life so much easier,” she said.

“She gives us a bit more freedom to be at home and spend time with Lillie’s siblings Ben and Kaci as well.”

When Lillie-May is unwell, Esther goes to the house to assess her and can even administer intravenous antibiotics or take blood while she is there, meaning Lillie does not need to go into hospital quite as often.

She has also helped to train staff at Fountaindale on how to care for Lillie-May and always goes that bit further to help the family, being on the end of the phone to help sort out problems or to provide reassurance.

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“I can ring her and she will never say ‘I am busy’ or ‘that’s not what I am here to do’,” said Amanda.

“It’s made life a lot less complicated and stressful just in the way we don’t have to drag Lillie out to the hospital all the time.

“I would be lost without her.”

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