Daily Echo story 27 March 2000

Baby Beth to star in new TV series

Baby Beth Heaton returns to our TV screens this week as a new series of City Hospital monitors her progress at Southampton General Hospital. Ten-month-old Beth, who lives in Totton, was born with a rare blood disorder and underwent a bone-marrow transplant in December following a Daily Echo appeal for donors.

Beth's father, Stuart, said the treatment was progressing well, but that they were waiting for important test results to check her immune system. He added: "There have been no real problems since the operation but she's on quite a heavy drugs regime, which is quite traumatic for everyone concerned. There are some side-effects which we have to keep an eye on, but she's doing well. She's slowly gaining weight and her hair is growing back after the chemotherapy. In a few days, we should find out if her immune system is coming back to strength or whether she will need to take special drugs for the rest of her life."

Beth, who celebrates her first birthday in May, will be featured all week on City Hospital, which goes out at 10am every week day on BBC1. The new series of City Hospital introduces new faces to the presenting team. Former Animal Hospital regular Shauna Lowry and Jeremy Spake, the Russian-speaking star of airport, will join Nick Knowles, Edwina Silva and Suzi Perry for an eight-week series.