Cerebral palsy girl Molly Grace helped in Facebook appeal
- Published
Complications arose when the tube she had was not the right size for her, causing her to vomit
The parents of a girl with cerebral palsy are "overwhelmed" after a social media appeal helped track down a "desperately needed" tube in 24 hours.
Molly Grace, seven, from Newcastle, is fed through a tube into her stomach and after complications arose from a wrongly-sized tube, she began vomiting.
With no supply of the 30cm tube at the Great North Children's Hospital, her father Dan took to Facebook for help.
The tube was driven more than 150 miles (240km) from Glasgow by volunteers.
Mr Grace, said: "It was awful to see her so ill and we had to do something about it.
"I've seen other people do it and I know how powerful the use of social media can be."
Within 24 hours Facebook users helped locate the tube needed to help Molly
After more than 30,000 shares from as far as America and Australia, within 24 hours the right part was located at the QE hospital in Glasgow.
"I was just shocked really, my phone has been pinging and pinging will all the shares and requests and messages of help and support, it was unbelievable, really humbling," Mr Grace added.
'Unofficial A Team'
Medical transport charity ScotsERVS sent volunteers Sarah Cameron and Euan Mitchell with the part and Molly was operated on the same night.
Ms Cameron, said: "We are sort of turning into the unofficial A Team - if there's an issue with long-distance transport, we seem to be the ones to call upon.
"The patients are what it's all about and we had the opportunity to help so we did."
ScotsERVS volunteers Sarah and Euan said it was "very humbling" to meet Molly in Newcastle
Mr Mitchell said: "It was very humbling to meet a brave young lady like Molly and speak to her mum and dad and know that this could potentially give her a bit of respite."
A spokesperson for Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "This is a national supply issue, which is not specific to Newcastle Hospitals, and the trust has been working hard in recent days to source the required feeding tube.
"The trust, and Molly's family, are grateful to NHS colleagues who responded so positively to the Facebook posting."
Molly is said to be recovering well