Saint Jude is said to be "The Miraculous Saint," the Catholic Patron Saint of "lost causes" and "cases despaired of.” When all other avenues are closed, he is the one to call upon, and his help often comes at the last moment. The news that my wife was pregnant for a second time after losing our first baby called Jude in April 2012 was a time of trepidation and fear for us both. When my wife’s pregnancy with Grace was anything but straight forward at times we both feared the worst! My wife was admitted to hospital in January and all we could do was wait as we were told due to complications Grace would certainly be born premature. So on the 17th April 2013 amongst fears Grace wasn't moving as much as she should the decision was made to deliver her via an emergency delivery at 31 weeks. At 3:50pm filling the operating room with screams, Grace was passed to me to hold. The most perfect tiny little thing I had ever seen. Weighing just 3Ib 2oz's Grace was adapting to her new surroundings well, however the next day saw Grace take a turn for the worse, and she went into intensive care. Doctors then told us it would be impossible to say if Grace would survive. I was finally allowed to see her at around 2am in the morning. Standing looking at her tiny frame I feared I'd lose yet another child. Helpless and alone Grace would struggle and fight against a collapsed lung and 37 days later my wife and I were allowed to take our little girl home for the first time. Toward the end of Graces stay in hospital on the 11 of May I sat and told her all about the miracle of tiny little Wigan Athletic winning the FA Cup that day, as I sat holding her hand in the incubator I thought to myself that miracle’s don’t just happen on the football pitch!

Having Grace early was the most emotional and stressful time of my life, the extremes of emotion could be compared to those I’ve felt at a football match. However football is just a game, these emotions were as a result of if my daughter would live or die! Nothing can prepare you for what you will go through with a premature baby and you can’t be prepared, no antenatal classes, not being prepared for the birth, being shocked and traumatised after the birth. Getting “the” emergency call and dropping everything to get to hospital. The blur during the operation and the delivery, seeing your baby on your own in an incubator for the first time and knowing it may be the last time. Not knowing why your baby is premature, the living out of a hospital. Not understanding procedures the doctors and nurses are informing you will happen. If only I had known at the time I could have turned to bliss http://www.bliss.org.uk/ for help and support. Bliss the charity for babies born to soon, too small, too sick are able to provide information and a support line so you can access vital information.

So I thought how could we raise money for Bliss? What can we do? Maybe this quote from a book I believe is my unofficial autobiography explains it perfectly, and tells you why we have decided to do what we are doing.

“I have learned things from the game. Much of my knowledge of locations in Britain and Europe comes not from school, but from away games or the sports pages, and hooliganism has given me both a taste for sociology and a degree of fieldwork experience. I have learned the value of investing time and emotion in things I cannot control, and of belonging to a community whose aspirations I share completely and uncritically.”

― Nick Hornby, Fever Pitch

So along with my brother (Jason Gregory) and his friend (Ben Smith) it was decided we’d complete the ultimate away day, driving 898 miles from Molineux Stadium (Wolverhampton) to the Juventus Stadium (Turin) in a FIAT 500, between the 7/3/15 and 8/3/15 in 18 hours and have faith that other football fans would understand why we are doing it and donate! Basically we will leave Molineux at 6pm on the 7/3/15 and then travel to watch a game at the Juventus Stadium in Turin Italy arriving on the 8/3/13 for kick off at around 2pm. Then as soon as the final whistle has blown we get back in the car and drive back to Molineux. We will be calling at a few grounds along the way, after all it’s not right if we pass a ground not to stop and have a look! We will also be selling memorabilia as well to help us reach our target, and doing some other smaller events to raise money. So why do the trip in a FIAT 500, simple my Grandad drove a FIAT, and he never got to meet Grace. Our FIAT 500 will be called “Tommaso” which is Thomas in Italian and that was his name. Plus the Agnelli family own FIAT and also Juventus, why travel to Juventus? Being Wolves fan’s Jason and I have not seen a European game, the last time Wolves were in Europe was 1980. Neither of us were born! In our view one of Wolves greatest European victories was a 1-0 away win in the quarter final of the UEFA Cup in 1972. The 6/3/15 marks 43 years since the fixture too place in Turin. Plus the greatest goalkeeper in the world plays for Juventus, Gianluigi Buffon who is known as “Gigi” and Graces nickname is “Gigi” because of her initials.

So that’s our event! Supporters of Wolves and Juventus please support us! Football fans please dig deep to help us each our total.

One in every 9 babies in the UK is born either premature or sick. That’s over 80,000 babies every year with one being admitted to special care every six minutes. The vital care that babies receive after birth can have a profound impact on the rest of their lives. For families struggling to cope, this will be one of the most difficult, emotional and stressful times of their lives. Bliss is the UK charity working to provide the best possible care and support for all premature and sick babies and their families.

Bliss believe that:

·       Babies should have the same rights as anyone else

·       The voices of babies and families must be heard

·       Driving quality and innovation in the NHS that will deliver improved care for premature and sick babies and their families

·       Bliss achieve more by working together with individuals and organisations

·       Bliss must always be able to demonstrate the difference we make to the lives of babies and their families

Bliss is active across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, delivering a range of nationally available services. For more information about their work please click on the link: http://www.bliss.org.uk/about-us/

How your money could help:

·       £10 will pay for one 20 minute phone consultation for a family

·       £60 will support a neonatal nurse to learn about family-centred care

·       £100 will provide training for a Parents 4 Parents volunteer

·       £240 will fund six counselling sessions for a parent

·       £500 will provide 250 families with Bliss Family Handbooks

·       £1,000 will keep 25 Bliss Family Groups running for a month

·       £3,000 will fund a Bliss Nurse for a month

Every day around 220 premature babies fight for their survival. Bliss gives parents of the sickest and tiniest babies somewhere to turn to for help, advice and support.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and an even bigger thank you if you have donated money! Your donation could mean everything to the parents of the sickest and tiniest babies, parents like me. “Gigi” also says a massive thank you!

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. All the expenses that will occur for our event will be met by us, so all the money you give will go to Bliss.

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. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.