Wearside two-year-old Beatrix Archbold fronts huge Christmas campaign for the Rainbow Trust

A courageous Wearside girl is heading up a campaign - just months after having a heart transplant.

Beatrix Archbold, two, is fronting the new Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity’s Christmas Appeal which is called No Family Alone.

She is being helped by mum Cheryl, from Roker, dad Terry, and big sister Eliza, 13.

Longest night of her mum's life

They are calling for people to donate to the Trust and help families like theirs when they need help most. Rainbow Trust Family Support Worker Monica helped them cope throughout their time in hospital and now at home.

Beatrix's dad Terry said: "When all is overwhelming, impossible to manage, feeling that there is no light, a Family Support Worker like Monica can help.”

The little girl who fought back from heart failure

Beatrix was rushed to A&E in May 2022, when she was aged 15 months and suspected to have Covid.

The sad truth emerged - that Beatrix was in heart failure.

She had emergency surgery and went into cardiac arrest. Her parents had to choose between no resuscitation or emergency surgery to connect Bea to a mechanical heart.

 “That first night in A&E was the longest night of my life,” Cheryl said. 

 She did not return home for 16 weeks. She stayed in hospital accommodation and Terry would go home at 7pm and return at 7am.

Monica was an enormous help

 “There was washing on the radiator, everything was left as it was that day when we left for hospital as if we were coming back,” Cheryl said.

The Freeman Hospital in Newcastle became Beatrix’s home for 15 months, 14 of which she spent on the Berlin Heart machine.

In Spring 2022, they were referred to Rainbow Trust, which has nine Care teams of Family Support Workers.

They help families practically and emotionally when a child is diagnosed with a terminal or life-threatening illness.   

'The bond she built with Bea was incredible'

 “I never wanted to leave Bea,” Terry said.

“To have the trust and faith in Monica that I could leave and return to hospital knowing that she would be cared for knowing she was going to have fun was enormous.

"Without Monica Bea would be screaming when we left hospital. With Monica she would wave us off.”

 Monica collected Eliza from school, took her to hospital, had fun with her providing much-needed respite.

She would put Bea to bed in hospital so Cheryl could spend more time with Eliza and attend important school events.  

 “Without Monica that time once a week I had with Eliza could not have happened,” Cheryl said.  “That was the most important thing for me. I was gifted that time with Eliza. 

 “Monica has been invaluable. She was able to come into hospital and the bond she has built with Bea was incredible. She is like family."

To support Rainbow Trust’s fundraising appeal and make a donation visit rainbowtrust.org.uk/christmas or call 01372 220083.