I am running the Cardiff Half Marathon on 2^nd October to raise money for parent rooms in the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) at Dorset County Hospital.

Many of you reading this will know that 6 years ago our daughter was born prematurely – arriving 8 weeks earlier than expected. After her birth she was immediately transferred to the Special Care Baby Unit at Dorchester hospital. Hooked up to monitors and receiving oxygen for her first few days of life.

My partner Jack and I were incredibly lucky to be offered a parent room on Special Care Baby Unit. This is a private double bedroom where parents can stay overnight, on the same ward as their baby. We stayed in this room for 3 weeks whilst our daughter grew stronger. With access to a shared bathroom and kitchen. The parent room was a welcome retreat from the bustle and clinical feel of the hospital. 

What did it mean to us?
I cried with relief when they offered us this bedroom. After 3 nights spent across the corridor on maternity ward alone (but surrounded by other new parents with their babies in arms) I thought that I would be discharged to go home whilst our daughter stayed on SCBU. Only able to visit during the daytime hours and leaving her at night. Instead, both of us were able to stay alongside her 24/7 to bond with our baby and I was able to breastfeed her. When she became strong enough to breathe independently, we would wheel her little cot into our room and… eventually 3 weeks later, we returned home together.

The parent room made a challenging situation a lot more bearable. 

Why am I asking you to support this?
Many parents don’t have this luxury as most hospitals in the UK don’t have this facility to offer parent rooms on SCBU. Parents return home and babies stay in hospital. It is through fundraising that these 4 private rooms can be maintained at Dorset County Hospital and offered to families like ours. Any donations you can spare would be gratefully received to help maintain and improve the parent rooms for many families to come.

Thank you.