Paul’s Story – “Teams at Sheffield Children’s gave me the belief that I could succeed.”

What do you remember about 1958?  

It might be that you were swept up by the worldwide hula hoop craze, or perhaps you remember huddling around your brand-new, black and white, swivel-screen television, watching Blue Peter dazzle across our screens for the very first time. 

For 69-year-old Paul, 1958 is significant for another reason. At less than a year old, Paul visited Sheffield Children’s for the first time, being cared for by specialists after being born with a cleft lip and palate. He underwent a procedure every year with the support of medical teams at Sheffield Children’s until the age of sixteen when he moved onto adult care. 

Now nearly 70 years later, Paul has been happily married to wife and former Nurse Specialist Ann Marie for over 40 years, who he also met at Sheffield Children’s Hospital when he returned as an adult.  

Paul said: “A while after I’d been treated at Sheffield Children’s, I visited someone in the hospital as an adult and I met my future wife. I remember the first moment I saw her, and I used to come and meet her here too. We got married in 1983, and we have two children of our own now, Amy and Matthew. This place seems to connect people even beyond care.” 

Around one in 700 babies are born with a cleft. A cleft lip (previously known as harelip) is a condition that is known by gaps in the upper lip, whilst a cleft palate denotes a gap in the roof of the mouth. Paul was born with both conditions, a combination which is shared by around 30% of cleft cases currently seen across the UK. 

Teams at Sheffield Children’s are trained to deliver speech and language support for children and young people with these conditions and can also support with any eating and drinking issues too. Whilst surgeries are now delivered elsewhere, this team continues to deliver outstanding care for children and young people across Sheffield and beyond. 

During his extended time at Sheffield Children’s, Paul became familiar with a range of staff who supported him in a variety of different ways. However, two consultants stood out most of all, accompanying him for large periods of his care. 

“I was looked after by so many kind people during my time at Sheffield Children’s, but I particularly remember Dr Heinz and Dr Crawford. I remembered how kind they were, and they would make things feel less complex. I also remember how thoughtful they were and how patient they were in listening to what I had to say, especially as I got older. By the time I was a teenager, I wanted to know everything!” 

Numerous surgeries meant lengthy hospital says for young Paul, but he never felt like he was too far behind his classmates thanks to the support of schoolteachers and volunteers at Sheffield Children’s who kept him up to speed. 

“Because I’d often spend quite a while in hospital, I found that I’d miss chunks of school. There were amazing people in the hospital that came in and helped keep me on track and made sure that I didn’t fall behind and that being away from school didn’t affect me too much.” 

Today, children and young people who visit the wards at Sheffield Children’s Hospital are supported by teachers from Kingfisher Academy, our dedicated hospital school. Teachers at Kingfisher Academy create bespoke education plans for children and young people being cared for at Sheffield Children’s to maintain the normalising feeling of being in school.   

Paul did eventually return to school where, supported by teams at Sheffield Children’s, he found his confidence and built a career that he initially didn’t think possible. 

“Sometimes, people weren’t very nice about it at school, but I found a way of being confident. On the inside, I was worried about what job I would do when I left school, but I ended up having a lot of great jobs, some of which meant that I had to stand in front of a hundred people doing presentations.  

“Teams at Sheffield Children’s gave me the belief that I could succeed. All the staff from nurses and doctors showed belief in me and that made me the person that I am.”

Reflecting on his time at Sheffield Children’s, Paul had one clear message for the teams who supported him by delivering outstanding care throughout his stay. 

“Thank you. Thank you for everything that you’ve done for me and for helping to make me the person that I am today.” 

For 150 years, Sheffield Children’s has been driven by its commitment to create healthier futures for every child. From everyday concerns to complex conditions and life-saving treatment, Sheffield Children’s has cared for children, young people and their families across Sheffield, South Yorkshire and beyond. Today, that same belief remains unchanged: every child deserves the same chance to be healthy, no matter where they live or what challenges they face.  

What are your memories of Sheffield Children’s? Do you have any historic Sheffield Children’s memorabilia at home which you could share? Visit our webpage to let us know, we’d love to see it:    

Your Sheffield Children’s Memories – Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust