A mum has spoken for the first time about the trauma of her baby boy being put on emergency intensive care for lung failure.

Albert Powell had to go on life support at a specialist intensive care unit 14 miles from the family’s home in Upminster.

Rebecca Powell had nowhere to stay to be near her eight-month-old child needing treatment at the Royal London in Whitechapel — until the Sick Children’s Trust put her up close by.

Now Rebecca is taking on a sponsored walk raising funds for the charity that provided her with free accommodation to be close to Albert day and night.

“It was a terrifying situation,” 34-year-old Rebecca recalled. “Albert had been in hospital a couple of times with bronchiolitis — but this was different.

“Doctors told us that they needed to stabilise him as quickly as possible to take the pressure off his lungs which were really struggling.

“We knew it was an emergency and very scary, especially being told he needed to be transferred to the Royal London.”

Albert had been rushed from home on Valentine’s Day last year to Queen’s Hospital in Romford with acute lung failure triggered by bronchiolitis.

He was put in an incubator — but had to be transferred to the Royal London’s special paediatric intensive care unit for the next four days and put on a ventilator. 

Rebecca and partner Dean Atkins, 34, were able to stay close throughout his time at the Royal London thanks to Stevenson House, one of the charity's Homes from Home just minutes from the hospital ward and completely free of charge. 

“In the grand scheme of things the Royal London isn’t that far from Upminster,” Rebecca points out.

“But you just don’t want to leave your baby’s side when he is on life support and needing round-the-clock care. Albert had bad reactions to medication, so we desperately needed to remain close.” 

The couple could be with Albert from early morning until past midnight every day, supporting his care.

The only option would have been travelling back and forth from Upminster to Whitechapel each day.

Rebecca was grateful “to have somewhere close to rest my head, have a shower and a bite to eat” before getting back to the hospital to be with her baby.

Albert had recovered enough after four days to return to Queen’s Hospital, where he spent another two days before being discharged to go home.

Albert has had further bronchiolitis episodes, but now at two years old is thriving. 

The couple have been back to A&E a few times — but never as severe as Valentine’s Day 2023.

Albert has a preventative inhaler and regular check-ups at the Romford asthma clinic, while his mum is hoping he will grow out of the chronic condition.

Rebecca is now taking on the Long Walk Home challenge to help raise funds for the charity that gave her a place to stay when Albert was in intensive care. She is clocking up a target of 50 miles throughout June for her fundraiser.

“We are so grateful, especially knowing that it costs the Sick Children’s Trust £40 to support a family for just one night,” Rebecca adds.

She goes out of her way to get the miles added up each day. 

The charity, which says on its website that it has supported more than 80,000 families since 1982, counts Michael Crawford and Anton du Beke amongst its celebrity supporters.

It says: "We’re more than bricks and mortar, our friendly, caring staff are there to support families when they really need it.

"Without us families would have to travel long distances, sleep in uncomfortable hospital chairs or pay for expensive hotels just to be by their sick child’s hospital bedside.

"Not only do we alleviate financial worries but we also help the mental wellbeing of the families we support."

Well-wishers can support Rebecca with donations to her fundraising page at justgiving.com/page/rebecca-powell-sct-longwalkhome.

The fundraiser is a challenge where supporters take on cycling, swimming, running, walking and even children toddling to support the charity’s ten Homes from Home accommodation centres up and down the country.