14-month-old Ravenscar girl to receive urgently needed treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital

Penelope Greathead is undergoing treatment at Great Ormond Street HospitalPenelope Greathead is undergoing treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital
Penelope Greathead is undergoing treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital
The family of a seriously ill Ravenscar girl has issued a message of thanks to supporters after a fundraising campaign raised more than £120,000 in just three days.

Hollie Suff and Jordan Greathead’s 14-month old daughter, Penelope, suffers from dilated cardiomyopathy, a severe condition where her heart is unable to function effectively, and has now been offered a space at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).

Until recently, Penelope had been stable on medication, however, her condition deteriorated dramatically three weeks ago when she suffered a cardiac arrest.

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Penelope was treated at Leeds Children’s Hospital where she was placed on ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) to provide temporary life support, however, a longer-term solution was needed to help give Penelope a chance of life. The family had originally been told that she may not be able to access a Berlin Heart, a life-saving mechanical device that could help her heart function and give her a chance at survival.

Penelope with parents Jordan Greathead and Hollie SuffPenelope with parents Jordan Greathead and Hollie Suff
Penelope with parents Jordan Greathead and Hollie Suff

On December 16, Penelope was transferred to GOSH via special ambulance.

Posting on the GoFundMe page on December 17, Jordan Greathead wrote: “We arrived at the hospital yesterday evening and have been welcomed with open arms by the team at GOSH.

“We are hoping that she will have her Berlin Heart fitted by the end of the week.

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“We still have a long journey ahead with Penelope’s recovery but we are hopeful and feeling so grateful she’s been given this chance

Penelope was treated at Leeds Children's Hospital prior to being transferred to Great Ormond StreetPenelope was treated at Leeds Children's Hospital prior to being transferred to Great Ormond Street
Penelope was treated at Leeds Children's Hospital prior to being transferred to Great Ormond Street

“The money raised from this page and that we hope to continue to raise will be able to support 1000s of children and families like us and raise awareness of the issues surrounding transplant and organ donation.

“We are also in the early stages of setting up our own charity, Penelope’s Little Heart.

“We will continue to provide updates on here to let you know how Penelope is getting on.

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You can also find updates on Penelope’s Little Heart Facebook and Instagram here:

A GoFundMe campaign started by the family to raise funds for a Berlin Heart achieved its target of £120,000 in less than three days. Writing on the GoFundMe page Jordan said: “There are no words that can be used to say how thankful we are to each and every single person who has donated, shared Penelope’s story or sent us messages of support.

“Your support means the world to us, you are helping to give our daughter and other children a fighting chance.

“We also want to use this outlet to express our gratitude to the staff at Leeds Children’s Hospital who have provided the most amazing care to our little girl over the last three weeks.

“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

“With Love from Penelope and family xx

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The family is also using the platform to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation and blood donation – two critical components of saving lives like Penelope’s.

Anyone not already on the organ donor register, can sign up here: https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/ or to register for blood donation visit: https://www.blood.co.uk/.

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