NHS reunite paralysed dad with wife for birth of their daughter after five weeks apart

• Report by Martin Fisher

A husband and wife who couldn't see each other for five weeks, have been reunited for the birth of their daughter, thanks to an incredible effort from doctors, nurses and midwives.

Jordan Buxton-Anderson, 24, from North Derbyshire was told he may never walk again after a spinal abscess ruptured in his back.

After being rushed to hospital in January and undergoing seven hour surgery, his wife Emily was left to deal with the latter stages of her pregnancy alone.

"It was stressful it was hard I think when it all first started", she said.

"It was really really scary."

The burst abscess left nursery worker Jordan, paralysed from the waist down and needing constant treatment in hospital.

Emily didn't see her husband for five weeks and as it got closer to when she was due to give birth there seemed little hope Jordan would be there.

But his mum talked to staff while visiting and a plan was born.

NHS staff in Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and Chesterfield Royal Hospital teamed up so Jordan could be at his wife's side in time for his daughter Elsie's birth. 

Jane Roscoe is the matron at the hospital Jordan is being treated at.

"It's been uplifting for all of us", she said.

"When we had news that baby Elsie had been born it hadn't been shared widely in our Trust at that point, but you know we just wanted to sing it from the rafters about just how fantastic it was.

"Despite all the barriers that could have been in place everybody worked so hard together and it happened it just happened he was there they were together fabulous."

The couple were together for a few days before Jordan needed to return to Sheffield to continue his treatment. At the weekend they were able to meet for their first Mother's Day.

His family is now raising money for a specialist wheelchair to allow him to spend as much time with his daughter as possible.