Mani's Helping Hands

Mani's Helping Hands is a charity set up to help various causes who support children with complex needs and their parents. Groups such as SSNAP (Support for the Sick Newborn and their parents), and also the Sick Childrens Trust. The charity is looking to raise funds to buy equipment for the PICU at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge as well. He spent the first 3 months of his life on a ventilator and in an incubator in the NICU's at St Peters Hospital in Chertsey and then the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. He went through a life threatening bowel operation when he was 1 week old and also had a serious infection when he was 1 month old. Mani came home for the first time in August 2012, but not before a visit to St Marys Hospita PICU, London (10 days) and his first Addenbrookes PICU admission (10 days) in the summer of 2012, with various lung problems. Mani was born with a cleft lip and palate, and he had the first part of this repaired at the end of September 2012. This was treated by the Spires Cleft Team at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford and was followed by a Nissens procedure to help him with the severe reflux that he suffered with. Another short stay at Addenbrookes over Xmas 2012 preceded 3 weeks at home for New Year and some precious time with the family. Unfortunately, in mid January Mani caught a bout of Swine Flu. This did a great deal of damage to his little lungs which meant that he had to have a prolonged period of aggressive ventilation. This damage was irreparable and Mani passed away on 11th February 2013 with the little fella unable to fight any more. Mani's parents, Stuart and Trishna received such wonderful support from friends, family, colleagues, and the charities mentioned above, as well as the fantastic Intensive Care provided at the various hospitals that he visited. As a result Mani's Helping Hands will endeavour to raise as much money as possible to help parents and organisations responsible for supporting these children in the first months of their lives. Thank you all for your support. Mani's helping hands...so those who helped Mani can help others.