We are raising money for the bestest NICU ever! Our daugther Winifred was born way too early at 28 weeks; 8 weeks and 4 surgeries later we have come quite far but are still spending most of our time at St. Thomas and will do so for a bit longer.

Neonatal care is a world of its own and was quite alien to us, but the nurses and consultants have helped us feel safe from day one. There has been the nurse that saw that our older daughter felt uncomfortable seeing her sister hooked up and brought her colouring stuff to provide distraction; or the consultant who patiently encouraged us to hold Winnie before she went into theatre, when we were just too scared. We were patiently taught the fundamentals of care and felt like part of the team.

In addition to the great staff Winnie benefits from special tools to provide comfort - like Zaky hands (weighted soft fleece hands that helps the baby to feel secure), special cushions that protect her head or little nests that hold her tight (it is a bit like a baby prison/straight jacket, but again very well received). Unfortunately these important tools are in short supply and therefore our goal is to ensure that each bedspace has at least one pair of Zaky hands to provide a little bit more comfort.