Great Totham dad does charity walk for NHS who saved Olivia

John Keeble has decided to raise money for the Rosie Hospital, in Cambridge, by walking from the main Addenbrooke’s Hospital there back to his house in north Essex, a distance of 47 miles.

Mr Keeble and his wife Kelly, 35, were hoping to welcome their daughter Olivia into the world in the summer of 2020.

Dad John Keeble with daughter Olivia

But almost a month after the initial lockdown, John’s wife suffered a placental abruption during her 25th week of pregnancy, losing 3.5 litres of blood.

Thanks to the efforts of maternity staff, Kelly was safe and little Olivia was born on April 14.

However, she was more than 14 weeks premature and required 16 minutes of resuscitation.

She weighed just 1lb 14oz, required ventilation for two weeks, and suffered a significant bleed in the brain.

Mr Keeble said: “I was only supposed to go in after she was born, but my wife was in a very bad state, so they let me go in and out a few times before she went into recovery.

“After that, only one of us could visit Olivia for two hours per day.

Premature - Olivia Keeble soon after her birth

“I had to drive my wife up to the hospital every day as she couldn’t do it due to the emergency Caesarian section.

“Those were the circumstances at the time and that’s what we had to deal with.

“It was a very tough time for us, especially during the pandemic.”

Other complications affected Olivia’s heart, lungs and blood vessels in her eyes.

After more than a dozen weeks in and out of hospital, Olivia was well enough finally able to meet her seven-year-old sister Amelia.

The Keeble family in Great Totham

Mr Keeble, 35, of Foster Road, Great Totham, said Olivia, who is now 11 months old, is in a much better condition than those early days.

He decided within the first day of her hospital care that he would repay the staff somehow.

“She has been a little fighter and has overcome a lot of the hurdles she has been given.

Mother’s pride - Olivia Keeble with mum, Kelly, as she recovers from her traumatic premature birth

“Her overall development appears to be gradually progressing in the right direction.

“We know we have been incredibly fortunate, and many other parents do not have the outcome we’ve had.

“Hopefully by increasing their funding by doing this, more parents will be able to enjoy better outcomes.”

He added: “We owe a huge debt to the Rosie Hospital, the NHS, and all the amazing staff who cared for Olivia.

Amelia with her baby sister Olivia

“I was blown away by their expertise and how fantastic they are at their job.

“Words can’t really describe it.”

The walk will take place on April 3 and John has raised more than £900 so far.

To donate, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/olivia-keeble.