We’re taking part in the Great North Run 2022 to raise money and save babies lives through foetal medicine in memory of Alice Eira Hadwin-Owen, our friend’s daughter.

Please read Alice’s story, as written by Steve and Cerys Hadwin-Owen, below:

On 3rd November 2021, Alice Eira was born by emergency c-section, eleven weeks before her due date. She was our second daughter; a much-loved sister for Annie Mai, and a little girl who brought us so much joy and happiness. She passed away in our arms at 5 days old,
shattering our hearts into a million pieces but teaching us so much about love.

We knew during our pregnancy that Alice had some serious health problems caused by a rare genetic condition, but that there was a good chance she could survive these and live a happy, fulfilled life. With the help of the talented, compassionate doctors at University College London Hospital, we gave her every opportunity to do that, and she tried her very very best.

Despite having lost three pregnancies through miscarriage before having our first daughter, we were unaware of the existence of FMU until Spring 2021. At 10 weeks pregnant, an early scan showed that Alice had significantly increased nuchal translucency and skin oedema. These are signs of chromosomal and genetic abnormalities.

From the moment we stepped through those doors, we knew that whatever lay ahead, we were in the best possible place. Following an 8 week period of intense worry and invasive testing, Alice’s diagnosis was confirmed through a newly-available method of advanced genetic analysis, bringing hope that despite her rare genetic condition she may be ok. Our pregnancy could continue: we tentatively began to imagine the joy of having two little girls to raise, and were filled with hope that we may one day bring her home.

This period of hope was short-lived. In mid-October, Alice developed a life-threatening illness. We were informed that her chance of survival was now 50/50 and that two complex, pioneering procedures would need to be carried out on her while she was in the womb. Alice would certainly have died before birth without the swift and skillful intervention of the fetal medicine doctors, who saved her life with these operations, giving her every chance possible to survive in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit when she was born too. The doctors also happen to be lovely, kind, compassionate people who approach their vocation with genuine sympathy. The significance of this cannot be underestimated.

In the end Alice was born too early and too unwell to make it. But those doctors gave her the best possible chance - and many parents have a much happier outcome than ours, thanks to their incredible skill, knowledge and expertise.

We want Alice to be remembered as a gift to foetal medicine, to give other previous babies like her the chance to live and for parents to be able to bring their babies home. If you would like to contribute towards Alice’s legacy and sponsor Nick and I for this incredible cause, please do so via this page.