Landon's Story
Last August, Katie and Daniel welcomed their son Landon in Glasgow, after it was discovered he had a rare congenital heart defect at their 20-week scan. The family, who live in Montrose, stayed in Glasgow for six weeks where services provided by Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity and Crossbasket House helped make his very difficult start to life that little bit brighter and easier.
To give back and say thank you, Katie, Daniel and other family members will be taking part in the Great Scottish Run this October for Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity. Hear Landon’s story her own words:
Landon’s Hospital Journey
“At our 20-week scan at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital, we were told the devastating news by Dr Scott that our baby had a congenital heart defect.
Within 24 hours, we were sat in front of Dr Hunter and Dr Gibson at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow. After several scans of our baby, we were told that they had a condition called Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA).
Lorraine, one of the Cardiology Nurse Specialists in Glasgow supported us in finding out more about what hospital life would look like for us and baby, including giving us information about Crossbasket House.
On 8th August 2025, our beautiful baby boy, Landon, was born in Glasgow. Landon spent the first 13 days of his life in NICU. As first-time parents, everything was new to us, and learning to become Mummy and Daddy in the neonatal unit was a challenge. However, the entire team within the unit, from the moment we arrived, put us at ease.”
“Their patience, care, and commitment to Landon and the other babies in the ward outshone everything.”
“As the days drew nearer to Landon’s surgery, we made as many memories as possible – foot and handprints, reading stories, and cuddles when possible. The Cardiology Nurse Specialist Team were also a huge part of this stage, they gave us a tour of the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit and the Cardiology Ward ahead of his surgery, helping us prepare for what to expect.
On Thursday 21st August 2025, at just 13 days old, Landon underwent a 10-hour surgery led by surgeon Mr Peng. After surgery, Landon was moved to the PICU where he spent two days on a ventilator with a paediatric nurse constantly present.
After a few days, Landon was moved to the Cardiology Ward within the Royal Hospital for Children to continue his recovery. He was making excellent progress until, one week and one day post-surgery, he went into Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT), and was rushed back to PICU.
On Tuesday 2nd September 2025, Landon was finally discharged from hospital after 25 days. While we were delighted, we also felt comforted by the routines of hospital life, the relationships we had built with staff, and our home from home at Crossbasket House. That evening, however, we began the next chapter of Landon’s life and drove home as a family.”
Crossbasket House
“Throughout Landon’s entire time in hospital, we stayed at Crossbasket House. The house provides free accommodation on the hospital grounds for families with children receiving care in Glasgow, allowing us to maintain as much normality as possible during an emotionally difficult time.
Before temporarily moving to Glasgow for Landon’s birth, the thought of staying somewhere communal felt overwhelming while trying to prepare for all the other typical new-baby hospital experiences. However, from the day Landon was born, we checked into Crossbasket House and were met by the friendly team — it truly became a home from home. Morning, noon, or night, whenever we returned from the hospital, there was always a member of staff at reception checking in on us and offering support.”
“The communal kitchen became a nightly meeting place with other families from the wards, providing space to decompress, share experiences, and exchange advice.”
“We met families from all over Scotland, many of whom we are still in regular contact with today. Everything you could think of has been considered at Crossbasket House: fridge and freezer space for food and breast milk, donated food and essentials, a soft play space for children, cosy areas to relax and unwind, laundry facilities, and a garden.
Our wider family were also able to use the facilities, which meant we could spend as much time together as possible. Our room provided privacy and comfort to rest and recharge for the next day.”
“We genuinely don’t know how we could have managed our journey in Glasgow without both the facilities and the incredible staff at Crossbasket House.”
Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity
“It is now over six months since Landon was born, and over this time we have reflected on our experience in Glasgow. None of our journey would have been possible without the incredible work of staff across all departments at the Royal Hospital for Children, and the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity team.
Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity aims to provide the best possible care by supporting patients, families, and staff at Scotland’s largest children’s hospital. Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity is proud to have supported the hospital every step of the way for 25 years.”
Giving Back
“On Sunday 4th October 2026, we will be running the Great Scottish Half Marathon in Glasgow to fundraise for Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity. After everything the charity supported us with during our time in Glasgow and beyond, we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to give something back.”