Celebration for World Prematurity Day

Mary
Authored by Mary
Posted: Saturday, November 21, 2015 - 10:01

Families who have stayed on Derriford Hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) celebrated World Prematurity Day 2015 this week and helped unit staff to raise £300.

This year, NICU staff decided to highlight World Prematurity Day, on Tuesday 17 November, by inviting Mums, Dads, babies and children, with connections to NICU, to come to Derriford Health and Leisure Centre for an afternoon party.

For three hours, the room was packed and fundraisers and staff were able to sell a selection of delicious cakes for the NICU fund, as well as chat to parents and their children. 10% of the funds raised is being donated to BLISS baby charity and the remainder for our NICU trust funds.

World Prematurity Day aims to raise awareness of babies who are born too soon. It focuses on the special issues facing infants born prematurely and celebrates the development and growth of older babies and children who were born prematurely.

Róisín McKeon-Carter, Clinical Director for the Unit, said: “We had a great turnout. It’s wonderful to see all these parents being given the opportunity to socialise and tell their NICU stories – and to see how their babies and children are growing.”

Tracey Clark, NICU fundraiser, said: “It was lovely to see all the families who came along. We keep Poppyin regular contact and I would like to thank them all for helping to raise money at the celebration event.”

Ryan and Lucy Jane, from Western Mill, attended the event for the second year in a row. Their daughter Poppy is now two and a half years old. She was 14 weeks premature, weighed 1lb 14oz and spent 92 days in the NICU unit.

Ryan said: “The NICU staff are amazing – there is no other word to describe them. It was a very stressful time when Poppy was in NICU – it was unrelenting. But there are so many good things that came out of it, including making friends with people we would never have met in other circumstances.”

Dom and Kelly Woolcott, from Penzance, spent weeks in NICU when their son Louis was born weighing 1lb 15oz. Now 18 weeks old, Louis weighs 12lbs. Dom said: “The NICU staff were incredible, we can’t fault the care, it was just the best.”

Owen TeagueOwen Teague, now four months old, is named after his parents Tracy Owen and Gary Teague, who live in Ashburton. Born in July weighing just one pound 5oz, he spent more than three months in NICU.

Tracy said: “The staff here were wonderful. If it wasn’t for them and the care they gave to Owen we would not have him home – it was touch and go.”

Katie O’Connor’s 18-month-old son, Caspian, was 15 weeks premature and weighed just under 2lbs. He still needs a gastrostomy feed pump and has undergone several operations related to breathing and swallowing. Katie, from Yealmpton, said: “The NICU staff were brilliant, I just love them all. They become like your family when you are there all the time.”

David Wade-GibsonDavid Wade-Gibson will be three on Christmas Day. Born four months prematurely, he spent ten weeks on NICU. Mum Donna said: “I have had three NICU babies – David, Len and Jason - and the staff there are absolutely amazing. That’s why every time I can do something I help with fundraising.”

Katie Oakes, Ward Manager of the unit, said: “Every year, an estimated 15 million babies are premature and World Prematurity Day is an international opportunity to raise awareness globally, of the impact that being born prematurely has for the infant and immediate family.”

 

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