The landlord of The Engine pub in Baldock is preparing to host a charity festival this weekend, raising money for the hospital that has supported his three-year-old son.
'Oh My Gosh', running from Friday, June 16 to Sunday, June 18, will be a family-friendly event featuring a range of local talent and tribute acts.
Money raised from the festival will be donated to Garden House Hospice and Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) Charity in London. The hospital is a place close to the heart of Dale Mabert, who owns The Engine.
His three-year-old son, Luca, who has an extremely rare condition called Moebius syndrome, has been helped by GOSH almost since his birth.
Dale said: “When Luca was born at Lister, he was rushed straight away from us and we thought 'what on earth is going on'?"
"We started panicking. They came back and told us we're going to have to give you some bad news, and our hearts dropped.
"He wasn't breathing properly or attaching to milk. We wondered what was going on, and asked all the questions but they didn't know - they were running tests.
"He went into intensive care for 19 days, and Lister got in contact with Great Ormond Street.
READ MORE: East and North Herts NHS Trust: Price hike for hospital staff to park at work
"A few days before the move there he had to have CPR. After weeks in the hospital, we had gone out to try and relax for a bit - but as soon as we got home, we got a phone call telling us to go straight back to Lister.
"He was being given oxygen by nurses, and he had to be rushed into an ambulance to GOSH, where he stayed for eight weeks.
"Within the first five weeks, every single question we had was answered, and they offered all the support you could possibly want. They gave us confidence, and supported Luca, his siblings and us as parents.
"They always went above and beyond - that's why we fell in love with them and have always had a connection with them.
"We didn't know if Luca would survive or not. GOSH put our minds at rest.
"They've been brilliant ever since too. We never have to chase them, they come to us. Luca's team is amazing."
He was diagnosed with Moebius syndrome, an extremely rare condition that mainly affects the muscles controlling facial expression and eye movement.
There are estimated to be between two and 20 cases of Moebius per million births.
When Luca was eight-weeks-old, his parents were also told that his left hand was smaller and not developing properly.
Dale continues: "We always get asked how his condition affects us. And our answer is - it doesn't. To us, he's still a little lad who enjoys his life, is happy in himself, and that's the most important thing.
"We've asked GOSH to put the money we raise for them towards their specialist teams, to make the kids' time in hospital as enjoyable as possible."
Under 18s can attend 'Oh My Gosh' for free, and, while adult tickets cost £5, Dale adds: "We know people are struggling so there's also a donation link. If you can't afford £5, you can donate any amount and we will let you in.
"More people have bought donation tickets than general tickets - and have paid more than we're asking."
The Engine will be matching all donations raised from the event, doubling the total raised for GOSH Charity and Garden House Hospice.
Tickets can be bought online by clicking here.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here