I'm raising £6,000 to Support Our Family While Alara Fights

At the beginning of January 2026, we found out we were expecting our first baby. After trying for a baby, it was the most incredible news, and we couldn’t have been happier.

The early weeks weren’t easy. I experienced bleeding for many weeks due to a haematoma, but thankfully it resolved by 16 weeks. That same week, we found out we were having a little girl. We were over the moon and already had the perfect name picked out – Alara.

Because of everything we’d been through early in the pregnancy, we waited until after our 20-week scan before sharing our news. We finally felt safe enough to let ourselves enjoy the pregnancy and look forward to meeting our little girl.

At 22 weeks, I returned for a repeat scan because they hadn’t been able to complete all the checks at my 20-week appointment. I’d had some bleeding the day before, but because bleeding had become almost normal for me, I wasn’t overly concerned. The hospital were preparing to send me home until my partner, Declan, asked if they could examine me first.

While we were waiting, I had a very large bleed. After 48 hours in hospital waiting for the bleeding to settle, they discovered my cervix had already opened. By then, I was at a hospital that couldn’t care for a baby born at 22 weeks.

As things progressed, I was already 4cm dilated. Transferring me to a Level 3 neonatal intensive care unit was incredibly risky, but we were told that if our daughter was born where we were, her chances of survival were extremely small. We decided to take that risk because we wanted to give Alara every possible chance.

Once we arrived at the specialist hospital, I was given medication to help mature her lungs and protect her brain. I remained on strict bed rest, hoping and praying to keep her safely inside for as long as possible, knowing every single day mattered.

Against all the odds, I made it to 23 weeks and 2 days.

On 29th May 2026, our beautiful daughter, Alara, was born weighing just 525 grams – so tiny she was smaller than the palm of our hand. Her original due date wasn’t until 23rd September 2026.

She was placed on life support immediately after birth, and from that moment, our lives changed forever.

We know Alara will remain in hospital until at least her original due date, possibly longer, as she continues her fight. We are incredibly grateful that she is receiving the specialist care she needs, even though it means being far from home. Thankfully, the hospital has kindly provided shared accommodation for parents so we can stay close to her.

Alara is one month old and has now reached 27 weeks’ corrected gestation. Every day is another milestone.

Our little warrior has already overcome more than most people face in a lifetime. She has undergone surgery, received several blood transfusions, and has been battling with the development of her tiny lungs. Recently, the decision was made to start a course of steroids to help her lungs mature, and true to her fighting spirit, she has responded so well. We are now hoping she will soon be strong enough to begin spending short periods of time off the ventilator another huge step forward in her journey.

We have also chosen for Alara to take part in the Footprints research programme. By allowing doctors and researchers to study her progress, we hope that what they learn from her journey will help improve the care and outcomes of thousands of other micro-premature babies in the future. Knowing that Alara could help advance medical knowledge and give hope to other families is something we are incredibly proud of.

We’re not people who find it easy to ask for help, but the financial strain has become overwhelming. Declan has had to take time away from work so he can support both me and Alara. Unfortunately, paternity leave only goes so far, and statutory pay doesn’t cover the reality of our situation.

We’ve also had many unexpected costs, including buying a hospital-grade breast pump and steam steriliser so I can provide breast milk for Alara, travelling between home and the hospital, parking, meals while away from home, and arranging care for our dog while we’re spending so much time at the hospital.

If you’re able to donate, no matter how small the amount, it would help ease some of the financial pressure and allow us to focus on what matters most being by Alara’s side while she continues to grow stronger every day.

If you’re unable to donate, simply sharing our page would mean the world to us.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness, your support, and for keeping our beautiful little warrior, Alara, in your thoughts. Every message, every share, and every donation reminds us that we’re not facing this journey alone.

Jess, Dec & Alara❤️

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