A family friend from the past has stepped up to help the parents of a baby boy whose life hangs in the balance. The family of baby Arthur Hughes first contacted the Liverpool Echo for help in January, appealing to the city to help save their son, who they had been told might not live beyond his first week.
Arthur's Medical Journey
When Arthur was just 12 hours old he was rushed to A&E, after becoming seriously ill. Arthur, from Everton, then spent the following months at Alder Hey being treated for ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (OTC), a rare, inherited genetic condition which means his liver cannot process ammonia.
For patients with OTC a liver transplant is the only cure. However, to have the treatment Arthur, who is now one, needed to have a blood transplant to urgently reduce life-threatening, high ammonia levels in his bloodstream.
Sadly, Arthur's mum Ellie, dad Ronnie, and nan Clare aren't a blood match and the family turned to the ECHO for help with their appeal to people across the city to help their son. They urged anyone who is a blood type O negative to get tested to see if they are a match and save their son's life and incredibly, hundreds of you got in touch.
Six months later the family are still waiting for Arthur's urgent liver transplant to happen. The family have been back and forth with specialists at Merseyside hospitals with the aim of setting a date for the vital transplant. Another meeting is due to take place 'soon,' where the family will find out more about future steps.
Community Support
Now a family friend is organising a huge charity event to help raise money for Arthur and his family. Bobby Parry was due to hold a reunion for the people of Gerard Gardens, where he and Arthur's nan Clare O'Hare grew up, on August 8. However, after hearing about his childhood friend's family worries he decided to turn the get-together into a fundraiser for the little boy.
Bobby previously spoke to the ECHO about his event, which he'd organised in honour of a promise he made to his mum 15 years ago, in the months before she died. Bobby and Clare are two of those people who lived much-missed housing estate that stood in Liverpool city centre for 50 years.
Back in 2010 Bobby had organised a reunion for the people of Gerard Gardens, the place where he spent the early part of his life. He described the night as 'amazing' and while dancing with his mum told her he would organise a reunion every year, so people could reminisce on those times.
Sadly, a few months later his mum died after a short battle with cancer and the grief that overcame Bobby prevented him from organising another gathering. Now, 15 years later, he has decided to fulfil his promise. The event is due to take place at Sylvestrian Leisure Centre in Vauxhall on August 8, 2026, and all funds raised will be donated to baby Arthur and his family.
Bobby said: 'I know his grandma very well. Me and Clare grew up together in Gerard Gardens. She lived on the same block as me. I went to school with her brother Joseph. When I found out about her grandson I just wanted to do something to help. I was going to make a couple of bob on the night and it didn't sit well with me, especially with them being my former neighbours, so asked if I could do a charity night instead for Arthur.'
You can contact Bobby Parry through this Facebook group, for more information and to donate to Arthur's fundraiser.
