Boy Who Survived 12 Major Surgeries And 5 Cardiac Arrests Will Spend First Christmas At Home

A little boy who has undergone 12 major surgeries, spending over a year in hospital, will be opening up his Christmas presents at home for the first time this year.

Little Lennox Knight will have the best Christmas ever as he celebrates it at home with his family for the first time in his life. The 15 month old spent the first year of his life, 373 days in total, in Newcastle upon Tyne’s Freeman Hospital undergoing major treatment for a serious heart condition called hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

Lennox, from County Durham, had his first major heart surgery at just three days old and had five cardiac arrests during his time in hospital. The youngster’s latest surgery was an airway reconstruction, during which doctors found a never-seen-before condition where Lennox had grown a membrane which was completely blocking his airway. Until recently, he had never set foot outside of the hospital grounds.

Thankfully his numerous surgeries and procedures have been successful, allowing Lennox to finally go home in time to spend Christmas with his family.

Sick Children’s Trust Ambassador, mum Laura Smith says: “The day we got to take Lennox home was the happiest day of our lives. He celebrated his first birthday in hospital with the amazing nurses that have cared for him all his life and not once did we think that just a week later we’d be able to bring him home. But thankfully, he’s now here at long last.

“This Christmas is going to be the best one ever and so different to our day last year, spent on intensive care surrounded by machines and wires. This year we will all be at home with his brothers making magical memories, and will shower Lennox with lots of presents and love.

“There were so many times we thought we were going to lose Lennox, and so many days we worried he would never make it home. Last Christmas was incredibly tough, but was made easier by The Sick Children’s Trust which gave us a ‘Home from Home’ that meant we could be by Lennox’s bedside from the moment he woke up so he wasn’t alone.”

Throughout his treatment, The Sick Children’s Trust supported Lennox’s family – including mum Laura Smith, dad Jordan Knight and brothers Riley and Cole – with free ‘Home from Home’ accommodation at Scott House, located just a few minutes’ from the Children’s Heart Unit at Freeman Hospital. Laura continues:

“The Sick Children’s Trust’s Scott House team bent over backwards from the day we arrived; they made everything so much easier and we would like to thank them and the paediatric nurses for all they have done.”

The Sick Children’s Trust runs free ‘Home from Home’ accommodation across the country, helping over 4,000 families every year stay close to their seriously ill children in hospital. Scott House Manager, Andrew Leadbitter, says:

“When a child is seriously ill, it has a significant impact on family life, let alone when they require over a year of lifesaving treatment. Laura and Jordan were able to move their entire family to Scott House so that they could be with Lennox and help him through his battle, but still be there for their other children. We are thrilled Lennox will finally be able to spend his first Christmas at home, surrounded by his family.

“However, this Christmas, we will be busy supporting families as their children spend the festive period in hospital, fighting for their lives. The Sick Children’s Trust will be there to help ease some of the stresses and strains during this difficult time, giving them a ‘Home from Home’ to keep them together.”