Tributes paid to ‘inspirational’ hospital and staff as fertility unit set to close

David and Catherine Court’s daughter Elizabeth was one of the first babies to be born thanks to treatment from the unit.

The Echo revealed earlier this month that the BMI Winterbourne Hospital fertility suite, which offers private fertility treatment for couples struggling to naturally conceive, is set to close in the spring.

After 18 years of trying to conceive, Catherine gave birth to Elizabeth – known as Lizzie – 22 years ago.

David explained how their efforts went back more than 40 years when they were living in Birmingham and the process was much more ‘primitive’ than it is today.

When they moved down to Dorset the couple’s GP Dr Peter Hull put them in touch with Michael Dooley, who now runs the Poundbury Clinic but was at the Winterbourne at the time.

With the help of Mr Dooley and the Lister Hospital in London Catherine eventually became pregnant.

It was a far from straightforward journey with complications along the way as well as some bizarre distractions – such as David getting caught up in a major police incident in London when he attempted to visit Buckingham Palace as he waited for Catherine to have treatment.

Eventually they were able to conceive using a method called GIFT (Gamete intrafallopian transfer) and Lizzie was one of the first babies born with assistance from the Winterbourne.

Lizzie was born with a condition called Goldenhar syndrome, meaning she had no jaw, left eye and left ear.

David said she was one of a number of children born with the condition in the area around that time and it was not linked to the infertility treatment.

He said the couple were ‘proud’ of all their daughter had gone on to achieve as she battled through a series of operations throughout her life, with some of the procedures lasting nine to 15 hours.

David said: “She’s our absolute pride and joy.

“After waiting 18 years to have a child we are now 22 years down the line with Elizabeth and she’s had 22 years of surgery and we still have more to come.”

Lizzie now has a job working with Weymouth-based charity Diverse Abilities and David said she now has her first boyfriend.

David described Lizzie as a ‘gift’ and said that she had helped make their life complete.

The couple, who live in Preston, said they are indebted to what the Winterbourne and others did for them all those years ago and are sad to think that others may miss out on the opportunities they were given.

Catherine said: “If it wasn’t for places like the Wintebourne people wouldn’t have half the opportunities we had.”

Inspirational Lizzie

LIZZIE Court made headlines last year when she met Prime Minister David Cameron.

The Dorset Echo shared her story of how she battled prejudice to land a job despite enduring 19 interviews without an offer.

Mr Cameron picked up on the story and she featured in a speech he gave at the London School of Economics.

Lizzie was even savvy enough to get a selfie with the PM, inset.

An eventful year also saw the 22-year-old feature in a national campaign by charity Changing Faces called What Success Looks Like, which aims to transform expectations and confidence around disfigurement in employment.

Proud dad David said he wanted to thank all those who had helped Lizzie over the years through offering her work or work experience such as Joys newsagents, the King Edwards and Sea Chef fish and chip shops, Waterside Holiday Park and Paul Dean Associates as well as dance teacher June Hornby.

Sadness as fertility clinic closes

A MAN who was one of the first babies to be born following fertility treatment at Winterbourne Hospital has told of his sadness at the impending closure of the unit.

Daniel Horn, 20, from Dorchester, was born in January 1994 at Dorset County Hospital after his parents Julie and Keith received fertility treatment at the fertility clinic at the hospital on Herringston Road.

They were the first couple to have a baby following treatment at the clinic and the couple returned to the unit when they were trying for another baby in 2004, and were again successful as they had twin daughters Olivia and Erin.

BMI Healthcare, which owns the Winterbourne Hospital, said the fertility suite would shut in spring 2015 after a decrease in demand left the service unviable.

A spokesman for BMI said any patients currently undergoing treatment at the clinic would have their courses complete.

Now, on the eve of his 21st birthday, Mr Horn, a student of philosophy at Southampton University, has expressed his sadness at the closure of the service, which had a “massive” impact on creating his family.

Mr Horn said: “It’s very sad that it’s closing, it has obviously had a massive impact for me and my family.

“My parents thought they would never have children, but then the first time they went to Winterbourne it worked with me, and then they tried other centres for 10 years and then went back to Winterbourne and had my two sisters.

“If you have fertility treatment it’s very much about luck and the skill of the doctors and my parents were very lucky to have us and I’d like to say thank you personally to Dr Michael Dooley, who was my mother’s gynaecologist.”

Mr Horn also urged families who have so far been unsuccessful in getting pregnant through treatment to keep pursuing it.

He added: “It’s a shame because there is a definite need for it in Dorchester and the rest of Dorset but the thing is it can be economically unviable. The amount of people that have to pay for their own fertility treatment is quite staggering really.

“I know there are other places to go for treatment, but the clinic closing will make it that bit more difficult for couples struggling to conceive naturally have their family. One thing I would say is they should keep pursuing it even though the clinic has closed down. The love I have for my father, who is not my biological father, is huge.

“Our family is full of love, and my little sisters both adore him and he is our father.

“What’s more important than genetics is creating a family environment that is full of love, and my parents have done that and I hope others who are going through treatment also get that.”