Family of girl, aged 13, who received urgent care at Sheffield hospital back call for bigger emergency department

The family of a young girl who received emergency treatment at Sheffield Children’s Hospital are backing an appeal for new facilities there.
Laurie Guymer, aged 13, was practicing aerial cartwheels at her local gymnastics club in Sheffield when a mis-timed run-up led to her falling on her arm and breaking it. She received care at the Emergency Department at Sheffield Childrens Hospital.Laurie Guymer, aged 13, was practicing aerial cartwheels at her local gymnastics club in Sheffield when a mis-timed run-up led to her falling on her arm and breaking it. She received care at the Emergency Department at Sheffield Childrens Hospital.
Laurie Guymer, aged 13, was practicing aerial cartwheels at her local gymnastics club in Sheffield when a mis-timed run-up led to her falling on her arm and breaking it. She received care at the Emergency Department at Sheffield Childrens Hospital.

Laurie Guymer, aged 13, was practicing aerial cartwheels at her local gymnastics club in Sheffield when a mis-timed run-up led to her falling on her arm and breaking it.

it was no ordinary break, however. The force of Laurie’s landing had broken through both bones in her forearm, displacing the arm at a 45-degree angle.

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Her mum Karen, aged 52, said: “Laurie doesn’t remember much of the accident, but she remembers hearing the bones break. We got a phone call from the gym saying she’d broken her arm and we rushed down

“We couldn’t have been prepared for how much pain she was in - she was in agony. We managed to get her to the Emergency Department at Sheffield Children’s Hospital as quickly as we could.”

The medical staff quickly assessed the seriousness of Laurie’s injury, administering painkillers and straightening her arm. They then put it in plaster to hold it into position.

Laurie was then X-rayed and operated on the following day, when the surgeons at Sheffield Children’s Hospital reset her bones. The teenager is now well on the road to recovery.

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The experience has inspired Laurie’s family to back The Children’s Hospital Charity’s appeal to transform their facilities.

Built to see a maximum of 32,000 patients a year, the department now sees 60,000 children every 12 months. The expanded department would create much-needed space - particularly for patients who hav ea a major trauma and can require up to 15 members of staff at any one time in their treatment.

It would also see the waiting room expand to four times its current size, with more treatment, consultancy and examination rooms, as well as space for children to play.

Karen added: “Every step of the way, every person we encountered was completely lovely. It was our first time in the new wing at Sheffield Children’s Hospital and we were completely blown away by the facilities provided.

“I really valued having a place for me to sleep overnight before Laurie’s operation, because I couldn’t have left her. I’ve been telling everyone since just how amazing it is.”