Mother pleads for financial support so she can bring her little boy home

Joy Browne, from Farnworth, gave birth to her son Jotham Nathan Browne in October 2019.

Nathan, as his family call him, was born with a complex cardiac disease and with his bowel and liver outside his umbilical cord.

Due to his health, the family of five, mum, dad and three children, have never been able to take him home.

In total Nathan has endured 11 operations including an open heart operation.

Joy is now appealing for support through a fundraiser set at £12,000 so her son has a liveable and comfortable home to be discharged to.

When Nathan was born the family moved into housing accommodation, Ronald McDonald House, in Manchester, to be closer to their baby and they have been living there since Nathan was born.

Nathan had the heart operation last November.

Jotham Nathan Browne

The family have been rehomed in Atherton, unable to move back home to Farnworth because it doesn't meet Nathan's needs.

However, the new house requires some work done before they can move in.

Joy is appealing for help because she doesn't have the funds to make the home changes due to her husband being the only one working as she looks after Nathan.

Joy said: "We have been here for about 33 months now in Manchester at the Ronald McDonald House.

"We have lived here to be closer to my baby and we have. We have never been home to Farnworth since Nathan was born.

"But we travel back to Bolton every morning to drop the children off at school.

"My son is soon to be discharged and he is going to need the support at home from carers.

"The occupational thearpist said the house in Farnworth is not suitable for my little boy due to damp and mould so we had to apply for housing and the closest house to Bolton is in Atherton.

Nathan smiling

"So we have taken this house which has been converted with a bedroom and wetroom on the bottom floor for my son.

"We decided to set up the fundraiser because we need the support, my husband couldn't work as much when my son was born because we needed to look after him, he currently works three days a week with overtime.

"Moving home has been challenging, we need to fix up the house, the flooring is not good, and the kitchen is not good."

Among the things needed incude new flooring and specialist equipment as well a bed.

Mum added@ "We have struggled a lot over the last 33 months.

"We haven't been home in almost three years, and what we have is not even enough to look after us at the moment.

Joy with her little boy, Nathan

"We have had to keep life going for Nathan in hospital and the twins who have been caught up in the web and had to stay with us in hospital.

"We have managed this on our own, believing God every day for the better and NHS professionals have been doing their best for Nathan for 33 months.

"Now, I want people to know what I have been going through and step in.

"Enough of the smiley face and feeling worthless within.

"I need help with what I can gather to sort the house and all that my children will need.

"Words cannot describe how I feel mentally and would only hope that my mental state improves over time.

"But that's in God's hands.

“My son is almost ready to be discharged and he will be ready to go home but the house won’t be ready for him to be there.

"Thank you all in advance for reading this and for supporting me.

"Please keep my family in your prayers."

If you would like to support Joy and her family bring Nathan home, you can donate here.

(www.gofundme.com/f/pls-help-us-go-home-after-33-months-in-hospital)