Help Baby Hadley Shaw, just 8 months old, is fighting for his life in PICU at Birmingham Children’s Hospital after complications from multiple surgeries and kidney failure. His only kidney is struggling, and his parents are by his side day and night while facing enormous emotional and financial strain.

Our Story

Our beautiful baby boy, Hadley Shaw, is just 8 months old, and right now, he is fighting for his life in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

Born with a rare and complex combination of conditions — including a high-level anorectal malformation, stage 4 chronic kidney disease (CKD), and urethral stenosis — Hadley has already been through more than most of us will face in a lifetime.

From the moment he arrived, doctors knew his journey would be incredibly tough.

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A Traumatic Start to Life

Just 48 hours after birth, Hadley underwent his first major surgery at Birmingham Children’s Hospital to correct serious internal bowel and bladder defects. The surgery left him with a stoma, and he spent the next 7 long weeks in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), fighting to grow stronger.

With only one working kidney, Hadley’s renal team worked tirelessly to keep him stable — managing his kidney disease with medications they pushed his kidney and body to the limits, Their goal was to help him reach 15kg, the minimum weight required for a kidney transplant that could one day save his life.

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A Glimmer of Hope — Then It All Went Wrong

On September 16th, 2025, after months of strength, courage, and hospital visits, Hadley underwent a stoma reversal surgery and had an anus surgically created — a life-changing operation we hoped would mark the start of easier days.

But that hope quickly turned into heartbreak.

Hadley spent almost four weeks in agony. Surgeons couldn’t figure out the cause of his constant pain. He underwent multiple tests — X-rays, MRIs, ultrasounds — while we waited helplessly for answers.

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October 15th: The Worst Day of Our Lives

On October 15th, Hadley went in for his eighth surgery since birth — his fourth in just one month. It was meant to reverse the newly created anus and investigate his ongoing pain.

During the seven-hour operation, surgeons discovered multiple pockets of pus behind his bladder, unexpected internal malformations, and life-threatening complications from the previous surgeries.

They had to act fast. His tiny 8kg body required emergency transfusions, fluids, and specialist medications to boost his blood pressure just to make it through surgery. The trauma was simply too much.

Then came the news no parent should ever hear:

"Your baby has gone into kidney failure. He is being transferred to intensive care and placed on a ventilator."

Our world shattered in that moment.

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Our Little Warrior in Intensive Care

Now, Hadley is in PICU.

He has developed a severe abdominal infection. His only kidney has failed. Fluid is building up in his body. He is on a ventilator. His blood pressure is unstable. His tiny body is exhausted.

We are heartbroken, terrified, and emotionally shattered — but we are not giving up.

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Why We’re Asking for Help

Hadley’s parents (us) have not left his side. We are living between hospital rooms, holding his hand, and praying for a miracle every day.

Mum is stuck between the end of maternity leave and returning to work. She is caring for Hadley full-time.

Dad is self-employed and has missed four weeks of work, with no income, after already taking time off earlier this year to care for Hadley.

We have three other children at home who need us too.

The emotional weight is crushing — and so is the financial pressure.

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What Your Donation Will Help With

We are raising funds to help with:

Travel costs to and from Birmingham Children’s Hospital (90 minutes each way)

Accommodation and meals during Hadley’s extended hospital stays

Lost income while we remain at his side full-time

Follow-up care and recovery as Hadley begins his long road ahead

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How You Can Help

Every single donation — no matter the amount — will make a real difference to our family.

Your support will allow us to focus on Hadley’s recovery, rather than the growing financial burden that this crisis has brought.

If you can’t donate right now, please help us by sharing Hadley’s story with your friends and family, keeping him in your thoughts and prayers, and helping us reach those who can give.

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From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for supporting our little fighter, Hadley Shaw. Your kindness is helping us hold on through the darkest days of our lives.

With love and gratitude,

Hadley’s Mum & Dad