My new niece was meant to join Auntie Catherine as a winter baby. She arrived 13 weeks early in the summer. In the UK 80,000 babies are born too soon each year. Only 6000 or so are born before 28 weeks. So she is stand out already! Extremely premature babies spend the first months of their life in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. They frequently weigh less than 1000g. Their internal organs are not yet fully developed. Their heads may be smaller than a lemon. The skill and care that goes into keeping them alive is remarkable.

I was pretty sure I would try and run another marathon. Frankly, when you come in one minute and 28 seconds over an hour mark (6.01.28) you really do need to try a bit harder. Like not stop and talk so much. But I didn’t really plan on doing another fundraiser quite so soon - you were all so very generous last time. But life happens and when you feel so utterly useless in the face of something so monumental happening to those you love most, and you are bowled with admiration for how they are coping, you cling to the things you can do. So I here I am.

On 24^th April I will be running the London Marathon for Tommy’s, the charity funding research into stillbirth, premature birth and miscarriage. They are amazing. They fund three research centres in London, Manchester and Edinburgh. A fourth will open in 2016. Their research is rolled out across the country so families all across the country benefit from the expertise they help develop.

My niece came home in time for Christmas. Not sure any of us need any other presents this year. Thanks for visiting my page and thank you for anything you can give.

Catherine xx