Tiny Lives Marks World Prematurity Day

 

In the UK, 1 in 13 babies is born prematurely. 

It is a very scary time for parents and although every neonatal journey is different, they all share the experience of having a premature baby. At Tiny Lives we’re commited to supporting premature babies and their families by providing equipment, support and other items to make the journey a little bit easier.

This World Prematurity Day in partnership with the staff on Ward 35, we have funded a number of items to celebrate the day with parents and babies currently on the unit! Staff on the unit decorated the walls, hand sewed purple felt hearts and helped make the day special for every family on the Ward. 

 

Although we were unable to celebrate in person due to COVID restrictions, we had a great day celebrating and raising awareness on our  Social Pages.

A number of families shared their stories and photos with us and we even had some kind words from Fiona, our lovely social worker who is partially funded by Tiny Lives!

 

‘A premature neonatal journey is often called a rollercoaster and it’s a cliché but true, families go through so much. Fear, terror, trepidation, excitement, wonder, build resilience, lose resilience, become wire experts, develop an in-depth medical understanding unique to their child, all behind doors others aren’t even aware of. I stand in awe of these parents and the expert team of staff who provide so much knowledge, skill and care as this work is way more than a job.

World Prematurity Day is an opportunity to highlight these difficult journeys and support those who are in them.

I am proud to offer my support. As we know, not all of our early babies get to live long lives, some only get a few hours, some a few weeks. Some have very complex issues to manage and have huge difficulties to face. They are valued and loved. They are noted and they are cared for. It is an honour and a privilege to support these little miracles and their families on behalf of Tiny Lives.’

Local Landmarks were lit up purple to raise awareness of World Prematurity Day!

A number of people took on our Ten for Prem Challenge – walking, running or cycling 10km throughout November. They’re our Ten for Prem heroes.

Kelly Blakeney, Head of Tiny Lives said ‘It’s been a great day raising awareness of premature birth and the impact this has to families across the region. We’ve had an amazing response across social media and its been great to hear from families about the impact Tiny Lives has made to them on their neonatal journey, through the items and support we fund. Without the generosity of our supporters, we wouldn’t be able to provide the vital equipment and support that families are in need of.’

 

If you would like to donate and help us continue our work, please click here.