A TRAGIC tot's family has pulled in the pounds for the nursing team which helped care for their sick child.

Stephen Young, aged two, lost his battle for survival last Christmas after undergoing a series of operations in his short life.

Although born severely brain-damaged, partially sighted and with a hip disorder, Stephen managed to spend time at home, thanks to the help of a team of paediatric community nurses, who made regular check-up visits.

Infection

Tragically the toddler died in the Royal Bolton Hospital after contracting a chest infection and his kidneys failed.

But since Stephen's death his mum, Gaynor, 19, and grandmother, Hazel, 44, have channelled their heartache into raising money for the medical team who helped care for their little boy.

And the grateful pair have visited medics to hand over a cheque for £920, raised when a charity hoe-down was held in memory of Stephen, just days before he would have celebrated his third birthday. Hazel, who lives with her daughter in Anchor Lane, Farnworth, said: "The service that these nurses provide is such a valuable one.

"It has comforted us to raise the money because Stephen didn't suffer for nothing, he has done something with his life. The nurses were there with support for us whenever we needed it."

All the cash raised so far - which includes £550 collected by children at St Michael's Primary school on Green Lane, Farnworth - will help buy special monitoring machines.

The portable saturation machines, which check oxygen levels, will allow nurses to conduct tests at patients' homes rather than in hospital.

Liz Thornley, team leader for the five paediatric nurses, said: "Stephen was one of the first children in Bolton to stay at home with the kind of problems he had.

"If the team of nurses was not available he would have spent half his life in hospital. It is far better for the child to be in a place where their family feels most at ease."

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