Water Relief For Baby Shannon
20 December 2007
Marie Aldous and baby Shannon enjoying the waters at The Devonshire Spa.
The spa concept is about a total sense of wellbeing, whether young or old.
”Amanda Garrington, Operations Co-ordinator at The Devonshire Spa, at the University of Derby Buxton.
Little Shannon Aldous has made quite a splash with staff at the University of Derby Buxton’s spa, after they came to the aid of her and mum Marie.
Shannon, 18 months old, has a rare chromosome deficiency which means she was born with a number of problems; including learning difficulties, a hole in the heart and poor muscle co-ordination.
Mum Marie Aldous, 30, of Buxton, had been taking Shannon to Chesterfield Royal Hospital for hydrotherapy pool sessions, where a physiotherapist took the youngster through exercises to improve her co-ordination and showed her mother how to do the same.
Marie saw an “amazing difference” in her daughter by the end of the six week NHS hospital programme but did not then know where to continue the treatment - until spa staff at the University of Derby’s Devonshire Campus, in Buxton, stepped in to help.
Although not a part of their normal services, staff and students at the spa provided Marie with exclusive access to the facility once a week during their quiet period.
Marie, a Youth Development Manager at the Students’ Union at the campus, said: “There was nothing to replace the hospital sessions once they’d finished. I could have taken Shannon to a swimming pool but it’s not the same.
“I’d been to the spa on campus before and asked if they could let me use it, when it wasn’t being used for treatments.”
After a couple of trial runs Marie is now a weekly fixture at the spa, taking Shannon through her pool exercises herself.
“The spa staff have been really very helpful.
“It’s brilliant. Shannon is able to do a lot more physically then she could before, she’s lifting her head more, sitting a lot straighter and she’s more aware,” added Marie.
Amanda Garrington, Operations Co-ordinator at The Devonshire Spa, at the University of Derby Buxton, said: “It is fabulous to see that little Shannon is benefiting from her spa sessions. The spa concept is about a total sense of wellbeing, whether young or old.
“The team look forward to Shannon's visits and make a real fuss over her. Although, primarily, we are a training environment we are more than happy to help the community of Buxton in any way that we can.”
The Devonshire Spa is a training spa within the University of Derby Buxton campus.
It delivers hairdressing, beauty and spa degree programmes for students who work in it alongside qualified stylists and therapists, offering professional treatments to the public at discount prices. To make an appointment call 01298 28334.
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For further media information please contact Press and PR Officer Simon Butt on 01332 591891 or 07748 920023, or email s.butt@derby.ac.uk.
Press release by Press and PR Officer Sean Kirby on 01332 593004 or email s.kirby@derby.ac.uk.
