Eight-year-old Max Wallace from Hamilton was against wearing a kilt to his auntie’s wedding but, when he discovered it was an opportunity to support the hospital that saved his baby sister’s life, he didn’t think twice about donning the tartan.
His sister, Emmie Wallace, was born in Wishaw General Hospital on the 19th of January 2023, and everything looked positive. Unfortunately, that night, Emmie’s oxygen levels were low, and doctors suspected that something was wrong with her heart or lungs. After some tests, the doctors made the decision to transfer Emmie to the Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow where she seen the cardiologist who discovered her heart defect.
Emmie had Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Drainage (TAPVD), a condition in which the blood vessels from the lungs take an abnormal path back to the heart. TAPVD requires open heart surgery to repair the issue, a process that can be daunting and frightening for the patient and their family.
Emmie spent a few weeks in the neonatal ward prior to her surgery and during this time her family – parents, Craig and Becky, and brother, Max (8) – were overwhelmed with the care that they all received at the hospital.
“The first few days were such a shock, and the staff were fantastic. The support from the hospital was amazing and it made the journey a bit easier. They constantly explained everything. They are so committed to caring for the patients, and some of the staff were there from early in the morning until after midnight making sure Emmie was ok. The Cardiac Liaison Nurses were our main point of contact if we needed anything during our hospital stay and after we were discharged. They were all great,” said Becky.
Craig explained the immediate difference that the TAPVD surgery made.
“She looked like a little doll with wires and tubes coming out of her. I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to touch her but thankfully, I was. We had a scary first night, even though they prepped us for that. Everything doesn’t just simply fix and may need some adjustment. I think Emmie took every adjustment available that night. After hours of watching over her, I went home for a short rest and when I returned in the morning, she was like a different baby,” said Craig.
Emmie was discharged from hospital on Craig’s birthday, the 16th of February, 10 days after her surgery. The best birthday present he could ask for and Max, being the proudest big brother, brought all his friends over to meet her.
As the family began to get back into normal life, there was a family wedding to attend. Max was against wearing a kilt at first until a shop assistant told him that, because of his age, if he wore a kilt with a sporran people would give him money. When the wedding day arrived, Max done a speech announcing that he wanted to raise money for the people that took care of his sister. Throughout the day he collected money in his sporran, raising £500 for the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity to help the children and families within the hospital.
“We’d like to thank everyone who was involved in Emmie’s care, and for our care. It was incredible. On behalf of Max and Emmie, we’d also like to thank everyone for their donations,” said Craig.
Mandy Meechan, Chief Nurse, Paediatrics at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde explained that care at the Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow extends further than the patients. “We’re delighted to hear that Emmie and her family are doing so well after the surgery and are grateful for their donation. Well done, Max and thank you! Caring for a sick child, particularly a newborn that requires open heart surgery, is overwhelming and terrifying for any parent. It is important that they’re looking after themselves during this time and that they have the information that they need to care for their child at the same time. Our team fully understands this and knows that welcoming the families into care is a huge part of the job,” said Mandy.
