William & Sally’s Story

William and Sally were born at 28 weeks’ on the 26th of March 1984 weighing 2lbs each.

The day after their birth in High Wycombe Hospital they were transferred to the Winnicott Baby Unit at St Mary’s where, despite many setbacks, they quickly started to make progress.

Sally, having had the tougher birth, suffered a bleed on the brain resulting in hydrocephalus which required several operations at Great Ormond Street Hospital over the first two years of her life. After her last shunt operation she never looked back, she blossomed.

Schooling was hard for Sally but with her determination, hard work and love of art she attained a Grade-A at GCSE and AS and a grade B in A-level Art along with passes in Food technology, PE and child care.

She went on to art college, completing a two year Foundation course.

She is now a talented artist and potter and has started to sell her pottery.

As a small child William suffered badly with croup which resulted in many nights in a hospital oxygen tent but grew out of this by the age of four.

He didn’t find school easy but had no learning problems. He took part in many sports, particularly long distance running and won a number of medals for archery and passed both bronze and silver Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

He achieved eight passes at GCSE and 3 at A-level and gained a place at the University of the West of England where he achieved a degree in business studies. He is now working as a marketing executive for First Milk, the UK’s largest farming co-operative.

William was also one of the youngest runners in the London Marathon, completing the course just three weeks after his 18th birthday with all sponsorship going to St Mary’s.

Both William and Sally owe their lives to the doctors and nurses at St Mary’s, some of whom are still saving lives at St Mary’s 23 years later.