Family collects Easter eggs for children in hospital

"When the eggs arrived it was so joyful and uplifting that me and my husband said we really need to do this ourselves and give something back because of how amazing it was."

Laura and her family are giving out 500 Easter eggs to children in hospital after witnessing the joy it brought while their own son was having treatment.

Harris, five, was born prematurely and has since suffered with a catalogue of health problems including poor lung function and three bouts of pneumonia.

Two years ago, he was in Derby Royal Hospital with his parents when a local group of bikers brought in Easter eggs. The family is now set to repeat that act of kindness on Friday.

Harris and his parents, from Cromford in Derbyshire, will be giving out about 500 eggs, that have been donated by family, friends and local businesses, to youngsters at the Royal Derby Hospital, the Chesterfield Royal, the Whitworth in Darley Dale and Ripley Hospital.

Harris was born prematurely, so was in intensive care for several days afterwards, and has had a number of stays in hospital since.

He has an elevated diaphragm which pushes upwards into his right lung which is therefore not able to work as normal.

"[Doctors] always said he would struggle to run around the playground at school," Laura added.

Harris had enlarged tonsils too that needed to be removed and afterwards there was an infection that needed hospital treatment.

He also has a condition called Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) which means that some days he does not eat and as a result he is small for his age.

Laura said this was the result of all the medical treatment he has had that he has not been able to control that has led him to resist eating.

She said being in hospital is hard for children which is why she wanted to make it easier for youngsters there this Easter.

"Every child that is in that hospital you can see that they are scared. You can see that there is fear," Laura said.

"They don't know what is happening to them and that's why it is so, so important to me that I can make that experience a little bit more joyful and happy at Easter and put a smile on their face."

Laura said as Harris has dairy and soya allergies she has collected a range of chocolate eggs to cater for different allergies so no children miss out.

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