IN LOVING MEMORY OF BABY NOAH*

On Sunday 25th May 2008, myself, Roger, Lynne and Debbie are running the Hairy Haggis relay for the charity Piggybankkids

One of the projects of the Piggybankkids is the Jennifer Brown Research Fund. This supports groundbreaking research to save newborn lives and solve pregnancy problems.

One of the areas of research is looking at a common, but serious, complication of pregnancy - PRE-ECLAMPSIA (high blood pressure in pregnancy) This condition affects a significant number of pregnancies and can result in serious complications.
 
Sadly, my wife Francesca and I have been affected by the condition during both of our pregnancies. Our first son, Ryan, was born extremely prematurely at 26 weeks when Francesca developed this life threatening condition in a serious form very suddenly. An emergency caesarean was necessary to prevent Francesca’s health deteriorating any further. Ryan weighed just 1lb 15oz at birth but after a long struggle and 3,5 months in hospital, he was finally able to come home.

After making a difficult decision to have another child, we were delighted to find out we were expecting again in October last year, but the joy was short lived. Francesca was admitted to hospital in February with high blood pressure again, but this time at a much earlier 20 weeks gestation. Again, everything indicated to pre-eclampsia. After being on bed rest for 4 weeks in the hospital, we were pleased to be nearing the all important 24 weeks mark, which meant that if Francesca did get worse, then at least our baby would have a chance. But devastatingly, our baby boy, Noah, sadly passed away a day short of this goal, and was born sleeping a day later. Preeclampsia has been confirmed as the cause.

There is currently no cure for pre-eclampsia and no exact known cause. Yet it affects as many as 10% of pregnancies, and as we have unfortunately found out, can have devastating effects on families. Funds are needed to help find out more about this condition.

We need your help so that tragedies like this can be avoided. It won’t bring back our special boy, but if we can help other families and babies by raising more money, then we feel his passing will not have been in vain.
THANK YOU

Jeroen Snitjer

Noah: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star xxx