A family have raised hundreds of pounds for Our Bolton NHS Charity as a thank you to the Royal Bolton Hospital staff who helped save their little boy’s life.
At just a few weeks old, Arthur Denney was rushed to the children’s Emergency Department by his parents, Matt and Jess, after he experienced sickness and weight loss following the completion of his bacterial meningitis treatment.
Nurses and consultants recognised his symptoms and condition as Pyloric Stenosis, a condition where the passage between the stomach and small bowel becomes narrower.
Arthur was quickly transferred to the Children’s Ward where staff identified he was suffering apnoeas and rushed him to the High Dependency Unit with breathing support, where he was stabilised but experienced two seizures.
Jess said:
“Arthur was sadly very poorly early in life, suffering from bacterial meningitis and pyloric stenosis. He experienced severe sickness, significant weight loss, seizures and apnoeas, and as a result spent his first few months in and out of hospital.
“Although his time at Royal Bolton Hospital was the shortest of all the hospitals we attended, it was immediately clear that the quality of care here was truly exceptional and head and shoulders above anything we had experienced elsewhere.”
After receiving MRI and Ultrasound scans, Arthur was then transferred to the Manchester Children’s Hospital for urgent surgery. His dad, Matt, remembers the compassion the family received whilst at Royal Bolton.
“Arthur was in a very serious condition when he was admitted in April 2025, and at the time we did not yet know the cause. Despite how frightening the situation was, the staff kept us calm and reassured, acting quickly and thoroughly to diagnose and treat him.
“Every member of the team showed such kindness, compassion and professionalism, ensuring we felt supported and informed at every step.
“This was by far the most terrifying time of our lives, yet we were made to feel safe throughout. Dr Morgan and her team saved Arthur’s life, and for that, and for the truly outstanding care he received, we will be eternally grateful.”
Determined to find a way of giving back to the NHS, Matt, Jess and other members of Arthur’s family set out to walk 220 miles to raise money for Our Bolton NHS Charity, and raised £1,200 for the Children’s Ward.
The 220 miles signifies the distance from their family home in Woking to Royal Bolton Hospital, where Arthur’s life-saving treatment began.
Matt, Jess and Arthur were invited to Royal Bolton Hospital earlier this month to receive a Certificate of Appreciation for their fundraising and to meet and thank the staff who helped Arthur.
Abdul Goni, Charity Coordinator at Our Bolton NHS Charity, said:
“We’re so pleased to see little Arthur is healthy and happy as he reaches his first birthday and it was a pleasure to be able to meet Matt and Jess and thank them for their very generous donation.
“We know that when people receive great care they often want to find a way to give back to their NHS, and raising money for charity is a really meaningful way to do that.
“Our Bolton NHS Charity is proud to be able to fund schemes that enhance patient experience, support wellbeing, improve environments and invest in life-changing medical equipment.”
For more information about ways to support Our Bolton NHS Charity, please visit Bolton NHS Foundation Trust’s website.
