On Thursday 3rd September our lives changed forever. Our son, Charlie, came along unexpectedly six weeks early and with many complications, to the point where he became critical 24 hours later. Starved of oxygen during the birth, Charlie was facing an uphill battle and at several points in the weeks after the birth the outlook was bleak. However, following a rollercoaster few weeks Charlie bravely made it through his critical care period and began to regain consciousness, breathe unassisted and respond to touch and sound.

Charlie spent a total of nine weeks in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) ward at the Royal Gwent hospital, during which time we got to know many of the staff and consultants. They all worked tirelessly to assist Charlie, undoubtedly saving his life and giving him the best chance of a quality life going forward. We will be forever grateful to them for their professionalism and care, and fundraising events like this are a small way in which we can thank them and help ensure subsequent babies and parents are cared for.

Your donations will go directly to the Aneurin Bevan health board, specifically the Dinky Dragons NICU support group who work on the ward and offer peripheral care, support and equipment such as breast pumps and sleep apnoea units. Life on the ward can be psychologically exhausting for all concerned, so this support network is vital in giving parents an outlet for their concerns and, in turn, comfort and assistance in what can be very uncertain times.

Charlie has been home for seven weeks now and is doing really well. We are under no illusions as to what lies ahead for us and the difficulties we will face, but we’re working off the best possible platform and are doing our utmost to keep him comfortable, happy and loved. To this end, I’ve started to find the time to sneak in some running training and so have decided to run the Newport marathon next April to help raise funds - and if the marathon is cancelled then I’ll run my own route anyway!

Any donations you can give would be much appreciated, and they’ll help both the NICU ward (now moved to the Grange) and myself when I’m on my hands and knees at mile 22.

Many thanks,

Will, Lucy, Rhys, Morgan and Charlie x