A Newcastle-under-Lyme mother returned to Royal Stoke University Hospital to present the staff who cared for daughter for 40 days with a 'hero award'.

Maddie Meigh's two-year-old daughter Robyn was admitted to Staffordshire Children's Hospital at Royal Stoke for a series of tests for a degenerative neurological condition.

Maddie said: "During our stay, the play team provided impeccable holistic care not only to Robyn, but to myself too.

"They gained a beautiful bond with my daughter and treated her like royalty. They took her to play, walked her in her chair when her mobility was worse and created beautiful decorations for her room to make it feel less scary and more like a safe, happy space.

"They were also there for me as a mum. They listened to my worries, took time out of their day to check in on how I was coping and made sure we had everything we needed. I was also caring for my newborn son, and very limited visitors, so their support made an overwhelming situation feel manageable."

Maddie, from Newcastle-under-Lyme was joined by Robyn, husband Dean, four-month-old son Oliver and Dr Simon Constable, chief executive, to present the Play Team with a University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) Hero Award in recognition of their "exceptional care and compassion" shown during their hospital stay. 

Maddie added: "Every member of the Play Team was amazing. You could see the positive culture in the way they worked together and in the genuine smiles on their faces.

"They supported Robyn during her most unwell moments, helped during procedures and always seemed to pull a bit of magic from their pockets to keep a smile on her face when she was scared or distressed

"They also built such a close bond with both Robyn and myself, always knowing how to make us laugh, even during the darkest moments, they truly are angels in disguise."

Speaking after receiving the award, Emma Biddulph, HPS co-ordinator, said: "I'm incredibly proud of the whole play team. This award really reflects the care, compassion and creativity they show every single day, often in very challenging circumstances.

"Supporting children and their families through difficult moments is at the heart of what we do, and it means so much to see that recognised by a family we have cared for." 

Dr Constable added: "I can't begin to imagine what this family went through, but I'm proud that our teams were able to support them through such a difficult time. It was lovely to meet the family and to see first-hand the impact our staff have."