How Sunderland mum's pneumonia scare with newborn baby sparked book campaign for hospital

A mum is campaigning to ‘spread the joy of reading’ to even more Wearside and South Tyneside children.
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Victoria Cowx, 40, has a special reason why she wants to show her support.

The midwives at the Sunderland Royal Hospital gave ‘fantastic’ help when her daughter Ava Money, now aged one, was born, said Victoria.

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Ava had to be whisked away from mum just a couple of hours after her birth because she was being sick after having a feed, said mum – and the experts noticed that her sick was not normal.

Victoria Cowx with her daughter Ava and partner Adam Money.Victoria Cowx with her daughter Ava and partner Adam Money.
Victoria Cowx with her daughter Ava and partner Adam Money.

"She had a touch of pneumonia. It was a worrying time and I was hormonal and emotional but the midwives were amazing.”

She said the staff picked up what was wrong with Ava extremely quickly.

Ava was in hospital for eight days and came home to parents Victoria and partner Adam Money, 44, in time for Christmas Eve in 2020.

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Now Victoria is hoping to get businesses involved in a fundraising project where all the money raised will go towards buying books.

Adam Money, Victoria Cowx and their daughter Ava Money.Adam Money, Victoria Cowx and their daughter Ava Money.
Adam Money, Victoria Cowx and their daughter Ava Money.

They would either be donated to hospitals or charities and Victoria wants to show her support for the children’s wards.

Victoria, from Sunderland, is a teacher of special needs children as well as being an independent partner for Usborne Books and plans to pay her own tribute to the health service with her Community Book Pledge fundraiser.

She said: “Books are something which can take children’s minds off things. They can take parents minds off things when they read to children as well and some children are in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for a long time.”

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The Community Book Pledge allows businesses to donate books to their local community in several different ways.

Kisses for Ava from mum Victoria Cowx.Kisses for Ava from mum Victoria Cowx.
Kisses for Ava from mum Victoria Cowx.

Each £1 raised goes towards the books which can either be donated to a local hospital, school, nursery, playgroup or ‘even a charity that would benefit from some new books’ said Victoria.

Firms can also donate some books to be hidden around the local area for a child to find and keep - or perhaps re-hide once they have been read and then re-donated so that the cycle continues.