The family of a “gorgeous” Teesside newborn have paid tribute to him after he died at just 10 days old.
Jude Robson Abbey was welcomed to the world by overjoyed parents Tia Thornhill and Scott Abbey on March 23 and was “absolutely thriving” in his new life.
Passing his newborn health checks, maintaining a healthy sleep pattern and gaining weight, all things looked positive for the “beautiful” 6lbs 7oz tot.
However, just 10 days later, he fell ill and was left fighting for his life.
Jude died on April 3, 2024, at 5.30pm, just 14 minutes before he would have turned 11 days old.
Jude’s cause of death was later confirmed to be Group B strep, or streptococcal bacteria, an illness that is common in both men and women - but that can make babies seriously ill.
Despite the devastation, Tia and Scott decided to launch a fundraiser in memory of Jude, organising a walk up Helvellyn with family, friends and colleagues.
A staggering £7,000 has been raised so far as the duo hope to continue raising awareness of the serious condition.
Tia, 25, who works as a mental health nurse for the Tees Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust, told The Northern Echo: “When he was born, Jude was 6lbs 7oz and declared healthy in hospital. He was discharged less than 24 hours later.
“Jude was gorgeous - he was tiny and had thick brown hair, which we weren’t expecting, and olive skin. He was beautiful.”
Tia and her partner Scott, who works as a cable installer, proudly took Jude home, where he was completely healthy up until the evening of day 10.
He was rushed to Freeman Hospital in Newcastle for a lifesaving procedure, where staff described his condition as “very quick and traumatic”.
Tragically, the procedure was unsuccessful, and Jude passed away shortly after his admission to the children's intensive heart unit.
It was only after Jude’s passing that professionals discovered that he had Group B strep.
The illness is normally harmless - and most people will not even realise they have it - but can make young babies “very ill” and can cause issues for pregnant women.
General symptoms of Group B strep include very fast or slow breathing, an unusually high or low temperature or heart rate, being floppy or not responding normally, grunting when breathing, changes to skin colour, or not feeding well.
Tia, from Hartlepool, decided to launch a GoFundMe online, not only to fundraise for The Sick Children's Trust, which provides a “home from home” for the parents of sick children but also to share Jude’s story and raise awareness of the life-threatening condition for newborns.
The couple had kindly been provided with accommodation by the charity so they could be close to their baby boy as they waited to bring him home.
Tia, who is also step-mum to Lewis Abbey, nine, decided to launch the fundraiser with the help of manager turned organiser Sarah Austin, who went on to "make the vision become reality".
“I wanted to tell his story in a way that would raise awareness for other mothers,” Tia explained. “And I wanted to do it in honour of my son.”
Last week, Tia’s friends, family, and colleagues took on an almighty challenge in remembrance of Jude - climbing Helvellyn in the Lake District, the third-highest mountain in England.
From steep climbs and rain to strong winds, the inspirational group braved all conditions during the challenge on October 12 - but all who took part put in an “amazing” effort.
Tia said: “It was also a lot of people who would’ve never met each other before. They climbed the mountain as strangers and, by the end, they were one whole.
“It was all the people that are so special in mine and Scott’s life.”
The fundraiser has now far exceeded the expectations of the family, raising more than £7,000.
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“We didn’t expect the fundraiser to go that far, to be honest,” Tia said.
“But it has been spread around a lot. Just spreading awareness is the most important part, because when I was pregnant, I didn’t know anything about strep B.”
You can donate to the fundraiser online here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/jude-robson-abbey?lang=en_GB&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=whatsapp
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