‘Unstoppable’ seven-year-old fundraises for Sheffield Children’s

‘Unstoppable’ seven-year-old fundraises for Sheffield Children’s

Seven-year-old Harmony from Sheffield is supporting The Children’s Hospital Charity by taking part in Theo’s Pyjama Day in thanks for the lifelong care she receives at Sheffield Children’s.

When Harmony was just three months she was diagnosed with viral meningitis, and battled a number of chest infections and bronchitis over the first year of her life; but things became more serious when she was 18 months old.

After several trips to the GP, mum, Zoe, took Harmony to the Emergency Department at Sheffield Children’s. Following an X-ray, Harmony was admitted to Ward 1 with pneumonia. She was also found to have Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), which is a contagious virus that infects the respiratory tract, inclu the nose, throat, and lungs.

Following consultation with a specialist, Harmony was referred to the Respiratory Service at Sheffield Children’s, which provides care for children with breathing problems from across the UK. It was here that Harmony’s consultant, Dr Kulkarni, carried out a number of tests to investigate her condition further. Over the following months, these tests revealed that Harmony had Tracheomalacia and Bronchiectasis. Tracheomalacia causes the windpipe (trachea) to collapse, making it difficult to breathe, while bronchiectasis affects the lungs’ ability to clear mucus, often resulting in infections.

It’s estimated that less than one in every 100,000 children in the UK has bronchiectasis, making it a rare and lifelong condition. Harmony receives regular care at Sheffield Children’s, including a two-week course of IV antibiotics every three months to manage infections.

Harmony is able to receive much of this treatment at home thanks to the Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) service, which looks after children who need to receive antibiotics through a vein but are otherwise well enough to go home.

For Harmony, this means she can maintain as close to a normal routine as possible while receiving her treatments.

Mum, Zoe, said: “The team have a big impact on Harmony’s life and are just brilliant with her.

“Over the years Harmony has received lovely gifts from the OPAT team at Christmas and has enjoyed doing crafts and activities while waiting for appointments. One day she asked me where all the nice things came from, and I told her about the Charity.”

The Children’s Hospital Charity supports Sheffield Children’s to change lives every day, going over and above the NHS provision. The money raised supports specialist treatment from head to toe, by funding life-saving equipment, new facilities, a comfortable environment and vital research, which changes paediatric care for children from across the world.

Harmony became determined to support the Charity so she could help other children like her. Last year, the OPAT team visited Harmony at home in their pyjamas. They explained they were taking part in Charity fundraiser ‘Theo’s Pyjama Day’, and Harmony and Zoe decided there and then they would take part in 2025.

This year, Theo’s Pyjama Day takes place on Friday 14^th February – or another day of your choice - and invites supporters to wear their favourite cosy clothes to raise money for Sheffield Children’s. The event is for everyone, and Harmony has asked her whole school to take part with her.

Woodhouse West Primary School have shown their support by joining in despite having an inset day, inviting their students to take part on Thursday 13^th February instead.

So far Harmony has already raised over £560 for The Children’s Hospital Charity, and is aiming to raise much more.

Zoe said: “When she visits the hospital she looks around and she just sees what everyone else is going through and now she wants to help.

“She’s just amazing. She doesn’t let anything stop her. She always gives it her all and our whole family are so proud of her.”

The cause of Harmony’s condition is still unknown, and she continues to have testing under the Immunology team at Sheffield Children’s, alongside her care with Dr Kulkarni and the Respiratory Service.

Zoe finished: “The respiratory team are just brilliant. When we go and see Dr Kulkarni, I can tell he genuinely cares about her, and it feels almost like family.

“This condition will be with Harmony for the rest of her life, so it means so much that the staff she sees at Sheffield Children’s take the time to get to know her and help her feel safe and confident with them all.”

Support Harmony’s fundraising here.

Sign up or find out more about Theo’s Pyjama Day at tchc.org.uk/Pyjamas