A DROITWICH family who have become famous over the years for illuminating their whole house and garden with Christmas decorations are getting even more festive this year to boost a campaign to help the hospital which saved their baby niece’s life.
The display by the Battin family, who live at 4 Birch Coppice, has benefited numerous local charities each Yuletide through donations from the public appreciative of their lights and inflatables.
Earlier this year, the family had the devastating news that their unborn niece Eva had a possible brain tumour – that was discovered on a 30-week scan but nothing could be done until she was born.
Eva came a month early, weighing just 5lb and had to undergo a general anaesthetic so she could have her first MRI scan at Birmingham Children’s Hospital at just 12 days old.
That revealed baby Eva had, in fact, got an aneurysm that had grown to the size of a tennis ball.
Because the condition was so rare (aneurysms in children are almost unheard of, let alone new-born babies), a team of experts were brought in from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. They performed an angiogram and platinum coils were inserted in Eva’s skull to prevent the aneurysm bleeding again.
The experts had never seen anything like this before and all of the procedures performed on Eva were pioneering.
Eva had to be kept on a high dependency ward and Matt and Beth Berrey, who are from Wychbold, were unable to stay by her bedside.
The Ronald McDonald Foundation offered the pair free accommodation, food and even subsidised parking so they could be close to their daughter.
The couple began campaigning for the two causes that had helped them in their time of need and the campaign, which has included a variety of fund-raising activities, has already exceeded expectations and £3,000 has been collected so far.
Matt said: “Both the Birmingham Children’s Hospital and the Ronald McDonald Foundation have been great.
“We just want to raise as much money as possible now for these two great causes.”
Alison Battin, Eva’s great aunt, is pledging the cash raised from the lights towards the campaign.
And on Tuesday (December 8), as well as the family’s seasonal display, there will also be a special carol concert featuring Droitwich Community Choir performing festive favourites on the Battins’ driveway which everyone is welcome to.
There will be mulled wine, soup and mince pies available, in exchange for donations.
Alison told The Standard: “If it wasn’t for BCH’s care then Eva wouldn’t be here today.
“She will have a lifetime of scans and after-care as we don’t know what the future holds but it is looking bright.”
Eva had her first MRI scan at the Children’s last week and the results came back on Wednesday (December 2), showing everything was as it should be.
Matt added: “The fund-raising is to say thank you for not only everything that they have done for our little girl, but for all of the great work that they do on a daily basis for many other sick children.
“If you can, please make a donation.”
Donate to Birmingham Children’s Hospital here and Pledge to the Ronald McDonald Foundation here
