Story

In Loving Memory of Owen Mark Blackburn Owen’s Story Our son, Owen Mark Blackburn, was delivered by emergency caesarian section on June 25th 2009 at 26 weeks gestation and weighing just 1lb 10oz. Within days of his premature birth, Owen made history when he became the first baby to arrive on the new Intensive Care Baby Unit at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth. An event that was captured by local TV and other news media. Thanks to the highly specialised 24 hour care provided by the staff on the unit, Owen made steady progress despite being diagnosed with a congenital heart defect, which would require surgery at a later date. Owen bravely battled on as we kept a constant vigil at his side. After some 2 months of improvement which saw Owen grow into the little boy pictured above, plans were being made to bring him home. He would require an oxygen supply, continued round-the-clock care and family and friends would need to be trained to give resuscitation, but Owen was moving ever closer to leaving hospital and coming home to his Mummy and Daddy. In an unexpected turn of events, Owen was moved from Portsmouth to Southampton General Hospital in early September 2009 where further tests were carried out on his heart. During his time in Southampton, it was discovered that Owen had stage two disease in his eyes and he was transferred the short distance to The Princess Anne Hospital in order to undergo immediate surgery to save his eyesight. As always, we remained at his side and the operation was a success. Following his eye surgery, Owen remained at The Princess Anne Hospital to complete his recovery in preparation for his return to Portsmouth. On Monday September 21st 2009, we received a phone call at 7.30am advising us that Owen’s health had suddenly deteriorated and we hurried to be by his side. Owen was back on a ventilator and had stopped breathing, but doctors were able to revive him and he was rushed in to surgery for an emergency operation. After just 20 minutes in the operating theatre, it was discovered that Owen’s lower organs were dying due to a blockage in a main artery which had starved his liver and bowel of blood and oxygen. Just as had been the case with his birth, Owen’s brave battle for life was coming to a premature end. Owen was Christened at the hospital, with his Mummy and Daddy, Grandparents, Aunties and Uncles present. Shortly afterwards at 16.45pm, Owen passed away in his Mummy’s arms just 12 weeks and 4 days since his birth. Though our time with Owen was short, had it not been for the love and care provided by the special units in both Portsmouth and Southampton, we might not have had the wonderful 3 months we did have with our beautiful little boy. It is for this reason that we, Owen’s parents, are committed to ensuring that these units receive our continued support so that others are able to benefit from the same high standard of care our son received. Please help us make this possible.   Owen was cared for by 3 separate hospitals and countless doctors, nurses and hospital staff and that help and support has continued since Owen’s sad passing. The level of care and attention needed for babies like Owen places huge financial demands on the units dedicated to giving them the best possible chance of life. This is why we respectfully ask for your support to ensure these units are able to, not only continue to provide these babies with the best care, but to continue to improve it. Lorraine & Chris Blackburn. Last year myself and my husband set up two fundraising events (one being a sponsored walk of 18 miles and the other a charity party) We have decided to the same again this year. We are raising money to purchase a new phototherapy lights for Cosham NICU and for money to go towards Parents accomodation rooms for Southampton NICU. On Saturday 5th March 2011 myself, my husband Chris and 45 others will be walking from Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton to Q.A Hospital in Cosham (approximately 22 miles) to raise funds for the Neonatal Units at both of these hospitals. Please please please help us to help these very precious babies and their amazing families!!! Anything you can spare to sponsor us is greatfully accepted. If you require any further inforamtion or would like toget involved in fundraising with us, please contact me on: loz0283@hotmail.com On behalf of myself, my husband and our our amazing little boy, our inspiration......Owen. THANK YOU!!!!       Thanks for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page. Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity. So please dig deep and donate now.

Lorraine & Chris' page (Owen's Mummy & Daddy)

Lorraine & Chris' page (Owen's Mummy & Daddy)

Story

Donation summary