Without a children’s ward “on her doorstep” Sophie Douglas-Brown believes her 18-month-old daughter, Chloe, would have died.

The toddler was born with a rare congenital disorder and is a frequent visitor to West Cumberland Hospital.

Sophie, from Lowca, was speaking out after it was announced last week that while recommendations would approve a short-stay paediatric ward at the hospital, the most seriously ill children must be treated in Carlisle.

Chloe has Jacobsen syndrome – which includes learning difficulties and a bleeding disorder – and she has previously suffered a brain haemorrhage and had an operation to close a hole in her heart.

Sophie had suffered a difficult birth with Chloe, who then needed to stay in the WCH’s Special Care Baby Unit and children’s ward, as well as being treated at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital.

Last November, Chloe started with a mild temperature, which quickly developed, resulting in a concerned Sophie rushing her to the children’s ward. “I had just got her in a cubicle when she collapsed. It was horrific. She started fitting and had stopped breathing. Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong.’’

Chloe was then surrounded by a crash team, three nurses, anaesthetists and paediatricians. Due to her fits, the toddler’s jaw was locked so the staff were unable to give her medication orally. Instead they had to “drill down into her shin’s bone marrow’’ to administer it.

“They were all calm and quick-thinking,’’ she said. “I don’t know how they did it.

“The doctor told me that if I had arrived 20 minutes later then it is most likely she wouldn’t have made it.

“It is too scary to think about [what would have happened] if I would have had to travel to Carlisle. I have nothing but praise for the staff who saved Chloe’s life.’’

She wanted to personally thank midwife Dawn Melville, Dr Pennington, Dr Ben-Hamida and nurses Alexandra Martin, Emily Marr and Jenna Tweedie.

“The ward staff not only care for Chloe but make me feel comfortable and I feel happier and safer knowing they are here on my doorstep,’’ Sophie said.

Sophie and husband Stuart also have four-year-old son Tobie.

She said caring for a sick child in hospital has a major impact on family life, made more difficult if she had to travel and stay at Carlisle.

“I would like those making the decisions on the cuts to take a walk in my shoes and see just how essential the service is,’’ she added.

“I feel blessed to have Chloe and knowing the staff are there at Whitehaven does make me feel more relaxed.’’