'Rhian has been a great support and I can always call if I need to' ; One of the children WellChild Nurse Rhian Greenslade supports in Cardiff is little Maisie Johnson and her mum and dad, Claire and Dai.

WHEN baby Maisie Johnson was born in August 2009 the moment ofjoy for her mum and dad turned to tragedy. After a traumatic birth,she was later diagnosed with a host of serious conditions includinga developmental disorder, muscle weakness and a blood disorder.

Little Maisie has to be fed through a tube and needs the help ofa team of medical experts. Her condition may affect her breathing,speech, walking and coordination for the rest of her life.

But WellChild nurse Rhian has been on hand to support the familyand care for Maisie. With her help a long stay on a hospital wardhas been avoided and Maisie is now being cared for at home where shebelongs with her family around her.

Maisie and her mum and dad Claire and Dai now have the help ofphysiotherapists, speech therapists, community paediatricians andchildren's nurses who help provide care for Maisie at home. Shestill needs regular trips to the hospital to see neurologists.

Her condition is ongoing and until she develops and meets hermilestones, Claire and Dai won't know the extent of her condition.

Claire is full of praise for the way WellChild Nurse Rhian hashelped the family.

"We would have been in hospital a lot longer if Rhian hadn'tstepped in to help.

Rhian has been a great support and she always checks on Maisie. Ican still call her if I need anything," said Claire.

Like many parents worried about their children's health, Claire'sfirst instinct after Maisie's diagnosis was to trawl the internetfor information.

"The problem was, it gave me only bad news. In the end, I decidedto rely on Rhian instead. She tells me what I need to know, and ifI'm unsure about advice from doctors, she'll explain in terms that Ican understand. At home Maisie's brothers can help bath and changeher. We've all decided the best thing we can do is take one step ata time."