A little over a year ago our world turned upside down. 

Twins, yes. Our wonderful Ted & Betty. But twins born premature, two months too soon and with their lives hanging by a thread, which is why I'm raising money for BLISS by beasting my tired old bones around the 26.2 miles of the London Marathon on Sunday 23 April having a stab at taking back the family bragging rights by trying somehow to beat my little brother's horrifyingly fast time of 3:08... 

Why BLISS?

It was a daily emotional trauma on the Neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU) and an intense education into the number of babies fighting for their lives on a daily basis. We were very nearly transferred to Birmingham from Norwich due to a lack of beds. The incredible care and dedication delivered by the NHS was amazing - but they rely on the support and research of BLISS to help them save lives and manage parents through the horrific experience of 'NICU'. 

Betty, and definitely Teddy, would most likely not be here if it weren't for the research into and care for premature babies.

They both needed oxygen and "C-Pap" masks in their first few days because of their undeveloped lungs but hung in there in their incubators, fought and thanks to the expert advice, vitamins and care, pulled through, eventually moving down the rooms in NICU from room 2, to 3a to 3b - down the scale of seriousness and closer to the exit. 

Until Ted developed a heart complication late at night and like snakes and ladders found himself back in room 2, lights flashing, beeps incessantly beeping and consultants scrambling to arrest his heart when it kicked intermittently into triple time. 'His Betty' was fairly swiftly allowed to join him, lying next to her brother covered in cables once more, but calmed by the presence of his sister. The consultants don't know why this helps, but it does and the Bliss-funded liaison nurse, Julia, was a lifeline for my superhero wife Alice, amidst the sleepless, terrifying trauma of it all, trying to get more information, passing on details to the doctors and Great Ormond Street Hospital heart expert to ensure continuity of care and WTF was going on, while living out of a windowless room in the hospital or a lifeless flat just off site for two months as I drove back and forth well over 50 times trying to juggle work and our magical boy.  

You wouldn't know about their struggle now. Ted and Betty laugh, they chuckle, they wrestle, throw their food on the floor and dribble on their big brother's toys.

BLISS helped make this happen and helped us as parents stay just about sane. So I (we) call on you to help us support their work to ensure more premature and sick babies pull through. I can't begin to imagine where we would be if they hadn't.

I've run the London Marathon once before, 10 years ago, limping round in 4:30, ironically dressed as Superman, stopping three times on the final straight to stretch out cramp. 

Now I have three super children to champion and their determination to think about on when the wall comes. 

Thank you in advance for any donations. Any sum counts.

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