A BOURNEMOUTH woman is looking to raise money for staff at Royal Bournemouth Hospital’s intensive care unit after helping her mother overcome the Covid-19 virus.

Nikita Fowler’s mother Jo, who suffers from a condition called brittle asthma, was given less than a 50 per cent chance of surviving after contracting the virus after Christmas.

Nikita said: “Going back to the end of December, we as a family got Covid. Most of us were OK but it ended up with my mum really struggling to breathe the day after Boxing Day.

“So, she went by ambulance to the hospital where she was looked at and treated but then told to recover at home. The following day she was sent back into hospital and that was the day where all of my family’s lives changed quite drastically.

“After a week or so being hospital, she was taken to the ICU unit where we were found that, within two days, doctors told us that your mum is extremely unwell and that they needed to act fast to save her life.”

Having been taken back into hospital on January 5, her health deteriorated rapidly, and the 48-year-old mother was put into an induced coma and put on a ventilator.

During the absence of her mother, Nikita and her family have relied on support from the community after having to isolate over the new year.

The NHS are working so so hard, so I wanted to thank them for all their amazing hard work

Having expressed her situation on Facebook, Nikita was contacted by Lisa Jeffries from Gifts From The Boat House who provided food shops for the family as well as emotional support.

Lucy Jacob Baillieu from PJ Jones Butchers in Poole not only provided meals for Nikita and her family, but also arranged for a cake to be delivered on Nikita’s birthday.

After spending four days on a ventilator, Nikita’s mother came around and staff at the hospital held open the doors to the intensive care unit and applauded Jo as she was wheeled to the main hospital.

"It was very emotional for us," Nikita added.

"Having spoken to one of the staff there, she said that the amount of times they have stood and applauded individuals for leaving hospital is rare, so she said it was nice to have a success story for once."

Following her experience, Nikita has decided to set up a fundraising page to provide hospital staff with meals and sweet treats as a thank you for their continued hard work in helping her mother and many other people like her.

Bournemouth Echo: Nikita Fowler, inset, on a FaceTime call with her mother Jo in hospital

Having set out to raise £60, donations to the crowdfunding page have surpassed £500.

Nikita added: “I can’t thank them enough. They are working so hard at the moment and the whole reason why I set up the fundraising page was because I just wanted to give something back.

“I would call up the ICU unit at 2am crying down the phone, asking for one of them to hold my mother’s hand and tell her that her family and I are thinking of her and they would do that whilst being on the call to me.

“I wanted to put it out there and try and do my bit to help and we have had a brilliant response so far. So many people have got in touch to thank me for setting it up as they had gone through something similar and didn’t know how to thank the hospital staff.”

Whilst making the necessary adjustments to their home to allow for the mother to return from hospital, Nikita would like to promote the fundraiser to give something back to the staff at Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

“I have been into the hospitals and I know how hard they are working. Some of them are going without food for large chunks of the day because they are rushed off their feet,” she said.

“I wanted to sort them out with some sweet treats, which Lisa from Gifts From The Boathouse has said that she will help with. Also I wanted to get them some lunches or food vouchers from local takeaways so they can have some good quality food.

“The NHS are working so so hard, so I wanted to thank them for all their amazing hard work.”

To donate, click here.