A TEENAGER from Amesbury who missed her GCSEs and her prom night has finally been discharged from the hospital with an emotional goodbye by NHS staff.
Freya Potter, 17, was admitted to the cardiothoracic transplant centre Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge in March 2022 only a few months before she was due to take her exams.
Due to the combination of heart failure and lung disease first identified when only 12 years old, Freya needed to remain in critical care until suitable donor organs were available.
Freya said: “The staff here have been amazing, they’re like one big family and I’m really thankful to them all. They’ve helped me so much and kept me motivated and entertained. Even on days when I was feeling down, they’d always make me laugh.”
Freya missed more than exams, she was unable to attend her prom night too so the nurses in Royal Papworth’s critical care unit ensured she was able to dress for the ball and they decorated her room.
She said: “During my time here I’ve been able to take up many hobbies that staff have all joined in with such as painting and jewellery making.
“They also held my prom night, arranged a Christmas meal with my family, helped me build playlists for musical motivation during physio and organised karaoke, basketball and Mario Kart, amongst many other things.”
Freya finally underwent her transplant operation towards the end of 2022.
There followed extensive rehabilitation, and when she was finally able to be discharged, dozens of physiotherapists, nurses, doctors, speech therapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, and other NHS staff stood and clapped her as she went home.
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Freya said: “It’s going to be different but I’m excited to be going home and seeing my black Labrador, Digit, and my friends. I’m looking forward to getting that bit of independence back and returning to my normal life. I’m also looking forward to going to college in September when I’ll be studying criminology and law.”
Throughout her time in the hospital, Freya had been visited by her family.
Her mother Linda said: “We’re very grateful that Freya came here but I’m looking forward to getting back to some form of normality. It’s been an amazing journey, and everyone here has been phenomenal. They’ve been so wonderful to us, and we’ve made lots of friends.”
“It’ll be nice to go home, enjoy being family, cooking meals together and enjoy a normal life. This has definitely changed how we both look at life.
She added: “Freya has coped so well with everything. She’s been strong and upbeat, and it helps that everyone at Royal Papworth Hospital has been so marvellous. She’s embraced everything and come out fighting, I’m so proud of her. I’m also really grateful to the organ donor and their family.”
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Transplant consultant Dr Jasvir Parmar said: “We are delighted to see Freya returning home to her friends and family. She has shown a great deal of personal resilience to overcome a huge number of hurdles during her 15 months with us.
“Freya has remained positive throughout and her drive and determination have allowed her to come through this part of her journey.”
Physiotherapist Emma Matthews said: “It’s fantastic to see Freya is going home today but we’re all going to miss her. She’s worked incredibly hard with her rehabilitation, and we’ve all had loads of fun working with her. She’s been a complete inspiration for all of us.”
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