Birmingham Children’s Hospital honours school stars for the care given to “miracle” recovery boy | News

Birmingham Children’s Hospital honours school stars for the care given to “miracle” recovery boy

Birmingham Children’s Hospital has given Wheelers Lane Technology College, in Kings Heath, a special award recognising the support it provided to one of its pupils recovering after a life changing injury.

Nominated as part of the hospital’s monthly Star Awards, which usually honours staff put forward for going the extra mile for young people and families, teachers and fellow pupils received the latest prize for the compassion shown to Jaden Payne.

The 15-year-old suffered a serious head injury, resulting in several small blood clots on his brain, which later formed into one large and life-threatening clot, after being involved in a road traffic accident in May 2017.

Experts at the city’s specialist paediatric hospital, part of Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, performed a four-and-a-half-hour operation to remove the clot, before teams on both its Paediatric Intensive Care Unit and Neurosurgery Ward cared for Jaden.

After the accident and life-saving treatment, unfortunately it was clear Jaden had lost many of the basic skills needed to care for himself and intensive physio and occupational therapy were required.

Throughout his recovery, his teachers and friends at Wheelers Lane Technology College did all they could to help the teenager. From moving his classroom to the ground floor so he didn’t have to contend with stairs, to arranging for ‘buddies’ to help carry his bags between lessons, they went above and beyond to allow Jaden to seamlessly blend back in to normal life.

In a matter of months, thanks to his positivity, determination, bravery and with the help of the teams at the Children’s Hospital, Jaden made incredible progress and is now back to doing many of the things young people of his age might take for granted.

Following an emotional letter penned by mum, Suzanne Dottin-Payne, to Trust Chief Executive, Sarah-Jane Marsh, the school was awarded the coveted Star of the Month award.

The first ever non-staff winners of the monthly prize, Deputy Headteacher, Scott Wheeldon, was presented with a certificate on behalf of the school, with Jaden’s family present.

The youngster managed to sit all of his GCSE exams this summer and is continuing to work hard to correct issues with his balance, eyesight and short-term memory and is keen to get back to playing sports, particularly football and athletics.

Mum Suzanne said:                                                                                                                                                                

“Following Jaden’s surgery, the surgeon told us he felt positive and that we needed to be too. Jaden is a fighter and his optimism and determination have really shone through as he’s worked to make a quick recovery. We did not know if it was life or death when we first heard he’d been in an accident, but we had to remain positive and the fact that he’s made such a miraculous recovery is absolutely amazing.”

Dad Shawon Payne said:

“We’re so pleased Wheelers Lane has been recognised in this way by the hospital and we could not be more proud of Jaden. We are so thankful to Birmingham Children’s Hospital, his friends, family and his school for all of the support they have given us over the past few months and Sharon Machin, Regional Child and Family Support Coordinator from The Child Brain Injury Trust who has given us so much help and advice.

“As a Christian family, our faith is very strong and this is what has kept us going every day since Jaden was admitted to hospital until his discharge in July and this continues to this day.”

The specialist paediatric hospital also prides itself on its partnership working with other agencies to ensure the best outcomes for young patients like Jaden, including The Child Brain Injury Trust.

Sarah-Jane Marsh said:

“In nine and a half years of being Chief Executive, I have never heard of such a strong and powerful partnership with a local school to get a child back to education and sitting their GCSE’s, despite a profound and life-changing set of injuries.

“I am incredibly proud of the hard work of everyone involved in Jaden’s care, and was delighted to be able to present Wheelers Lane Technology College with our much coveted Star of the Month award.  It was particularly special to do so in front of Jaden’s family, and to wish them all the best for the future.”

If you know of a team or individual at our Trust who you think deserves to be crowned Star of the Month, nominated them here: www.bwc.nhs.uk/star-of-the-month.

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