Hospital's 'home-from-home' family rooms turn 10

Hospital accommodation for families of sick children, which has been described as a "home from home", has celebrated its 10th birthday.

Scott House, at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, has supported more than 3,000 families by providing a place to stay for long periods.

Ten-year-old Oscar Sutton from Killingworth, who was diagnosed with two serious heart conditions on the same day that Scott House opened, took part in the birthday celebration.

His dad said being allowed to stay so close during his treatment had taken away "a lot of stress and uncertainty".

Peter Sutton, 53, added: "Looking back, if we hadn't have had a room here, the logistics of getting here in a hurry could be a matter of if we saw him, or we didn't see him again.

"It's the longest corridor on the planet, but you literally are at the end of the corridor.

"It's just invaluable," he said.

Oscar was eight days old when he was admitted to Freeman Hospital

His family were given keys to Scott House, which is run by The Sick Children's Trust, on the same day.

"I feel very thankful for all of it," Oscar said.

He turned 10 this year and says he "feels good", that he gets a bit out of breath when he plays sports, but he is not going to be stopped.

Families from all over the country have stayed at Scott House, as their children are treated at the hospital's specialist children's heart unit.

Chief executive of The Sick Children’s Trust Jane Featherstone said she had known of families having to stay in their cars, sleep on hospital chairs, or pay for expensive hotel accommodation when they had to stay on hospital grounds.

"When your child's in hospital for a long time, that can be very expensive and frightening just to imagine leaving them."

She added Scott House made a "terrible situation just a little bit easier to cope with".

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