Two Tooting parents are abseiling more than 150 feet to raise money for St George's Hospital after staff treated their child for jaundice shortly after birth.
Kate and Edgar Barros, 34 and 35, of Bickersteth Road, welcomed their son Oscar into the world after he was born at St George's on February 2, 2015.
They are fundraising to donate all the money they raise on September 16 to the hospital's pediatric A&E department.
It was after a follow-up post-birth when a nurse highlighted the newborn Oscar to be suffering from jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes caused by the build-up of bilirubin in the blood and body's tissues.
Mr and Mrs Barros' eldest son, William, also had jaundice but it disappeared by day ten and Oscar seemed "unable to flush it out".
Newborn Oscar at St George's Hospital. Photo: Kate Barros
The page says: "The nurse rang up the pediatric A&E and we were told to pop down so they could check him over and do some tests.
"That was the start of the most worrying 72 hours of our lives as parents.
"What was meant to be a routine check-up was turning into a parent's worst nightmare."
Within 30 minutes of arriving at A&E, Oscar was connected to several machines and monitors and placed under UV lights.
When the first set of results came back his bilirubin level was at 408mol/L after a doctor presented Mr and Mrs Barros with a graph displaying the different treatment levels.
The website added: "Anything over 400 was classed as requiring a blood transfusion, so understandably our hearts sank as it appeared this was now more serious.”
Both doctors and parents awaited to see if the light therapy Oscar was undergoing would reduce his bilirubin levels, and they did.
Oscar's bilirubin levels began to reduce following light therapy after both doctors and the parents awaited to see if they would solve the issue.
Oscar is a 'happy, bouncy, very naughty, cheeky' boy. Photo: Kate Barros
It would be another three days before he was well enough to be released, however the couple believe the initial concern shown by a post-natal nurse and staff at St George's is why he is now a "happy and naughty toddler".
The event, which takes place at the tallest building in St George’s Hospital, in Blackshaw Road, on September 16 will be donated to the pediatric A&E department and also aims to help other families going through similar difficulties.
Mrs Barros, co-owner of Permanex Plumbing, said: “If it had not been for them and their amazing care at the time then Oscar could be a totally different boy now.
“He’s a happy, bouncy, very naughty, cheeky two-and-a-half-year-old.”
For Kate the images of Oscar are a powerful reminder of situations similar to her family’s and others can happen to anyone.
Oscar has recovered well. Photo: Kate Barros
She added: “You see pictures and you see fundraising stores and it tugs at your heart, you want to help, but in the back of your mind you’re still thinking, ‘It won’t really happen to us though, will it?’
“I look at it now and look at how little he was, it kind of makes me feel sad but also happy because I know what a great little boy he is now.”
To donate, you can visit here.
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