THERE will be no Christmas babies born at the Alexandra Hospital this Christmas, but one young lady who was born there last year will be celebrating her birthday on the big day in style.
Little Ariana Uddin entered the world at 4.20am on December 25, 2014, one of several babies born at the Alex on that day, becoming a much-loved sister to older brother Ayaan, aged four.
Proud mum Aysha who lives at Lakeside with her husband Nazim said: “It was quite traumatic; she was due on Boxing Day but it started on Christmas Eve but the midwives were absolutely lovely, fantastic, and of course being in Redditch all the close family could come and visit me at the Alex.”
And Aysha, who works for the Kingfisher Shopping Centre, is really looking forward to Christmas Day.
“It’s going to be extra special, all the family will be there, uncles, aunts, grandparents and children – we’re going to have a houseful.”
Neal Stote, chairman of Save the Alex which has led the campaign to retain services at the Alex said: “I think it is incredibly sad that we now no longer have a maternity unit at the Alex.
“For years I’ve been threatening to borrow a donkey and ride the 18 miles to Worcester to illustrate the appalling way this Trust (Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust) is treating the people of Redditch, because for those of us that don’t have access to a car that’s what it amounts to.
“As it is the Trust have managed to get away with it not by any increase in capacity but by mums choosing to have their babies elsewhere rather than at Worcester.”
