THE doors to a state-of-the-art maternity unit will soon open, breathing new life into maternity services across South Cumbria.

When the current ward at Furness General hospital closes it will signify the end of era for families across Barrow and beyond who hold fond memories of giving birth to their bundles of joy at the 33-year-old-unit.

Before the new arrivals make their way into the £12m South Lakes Birthing Centre, which sits on the site of the hospital, and is due to officially open to the public on Valentines day, we have taken a trip down memory lane to celebrate some of the first babies born at Furness General hospital.

Kay Parkes has fond memories of giving birth to the hospital's first set of non-identical twins, Keith and John, by pre-elected c-section on December 17, 1984.

Weighing less than a stone between them, the boys initially came as a surprise to first time mum and Walney resident, Mrs Parkes.

She said: "When I went for a scan the lady asked me 'do twins run in your family'?

"I remember giving birth vividly and I think there were about three other sets of twins born in the run up to Christmas.

"I was so lucky with them because they slept so much, they were very good boys."

Mrs Parkes says it became apparent quite early on that there was something "different" with Keith, who was later diagnosed with the degenerative condition, muscular dystrophy and spent much of his life in and out of hospital.

Luckily, the condition did not affect his twin brother John who went on to become a Sapper, travelling to war-torn areas in Iraq as part of the bomb disposal squad in 2006.

Keith sadly passed away in 2009 when he was just 24, something which Mrs Parkes said devastated the family.

"I have been very fortunate," added the mum-of-four and grandmother of three.

"All my boys were lovely."

Former Barrovian, Sue Clark MBE left the area several years ago and now lives near the White Cliffs of Dover.

The charity worker gave birth to her daughter Kimberly on the same date the ward opened, November 5, at 9.08pm, and went on to have her second, Scott, in 1987 before leaving the area in 1990 for work.

She said: "We moved in 1990, when my husband Tom worked on the Channel tunnel project.

"I went on to have another child, Jamie, who is 26 and the light of our life.

"He has Downs Syndrome and is the best thing that ever happened to us. We are very proud parents and grandparents and our roots are in Barrow."

Although Gemma Humes was born almost a year after the unit opened its doors, she believes she may be one of the only staff members at Furness General who can trace their roots back to the ward's beginning.

The clinical support worker who lives in Dalton has been based on the site for four years and says she feels like she never left.

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