Catherine and Dylan's fundraising for Bliss page

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page to raise money for Bliss, a charity dedicated to supporting premature or sick neonates and thier families, as well as funding groundbreaking and lifesaving research into neonatal care.

On 9th July 2017 I will be running the Great North 10k Family Mile with my son Dylan, with my brilliant husband and daughter cheering us on!) The event is for 3-16 year olds and Dylan will turn 3 just four days before the event, so he will be one of, if not the youngest runner in the group. A mile is a long way for little legs (and mine after having Caitlin!) He adores his baby sister so is running for her!

On 12th January 2017, our beautiful daughter Caitlin Eloise was born by emergency cesarean section. Due to postnatal and birth complications she had to stay in South Tyneside Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) for almost a month as she was very poorly indeed. 

This time was the most difficult we have ever faced and the feelings can't be put into words. There were times we just didn't know how we could cope; watching her suffering and struggling and not being able to help, not bringing her home, not having her with us every day and having to go to hospital to visit our beautiful baby. It was heartbreaking. The staff at the unit were unbelievably supportive and caring and we were very lucky to have them caring for Caitlin. We were also extremely lucky to have a dedicated charity to turn to for support and advice - Bliss.

Our baby made a full recovery and is now happy and healthy at home with her family. Shes a little fighter, a beauty and such a character. Others are not so lucky and will need far more support for much longer, which Bliss can provide. Bliss also fund life saving research and are constantly striving to give premature and sick babies the best possible care and the best possible chance of survival.

Over the next three years (2016-2019) Bliss’ ambition is to reach every single baby born needing neonatal care in the UK and their family. They want every baby to benefit from their work, no matter how long they live or how long they spend on a neonatal unit. Through your sponsorship, we can make this a reality.


More about Bliss

Having a premature or sick baby in hospital can be incredibly distressing for families. Bliss offers emotional and practical support to empower families and equip them with the knowledge and skills they need to provide the best possible care to their baby, for however long they live and for however long their stay in neonatal care. Bliss provides information about caring for premature and full term sick babies at every stage of their hospital journey, and after they have gone home. Through their network of dedicated volunteers they provide face to face, phone and email support, meaning families have access to practical advice and a listening ear when they need it the most. 



Bliss was founded in 1979 by a group of concerned parents who discovered that no hospital had all the equipment it needed to safely care for premature and sick babies. Determined to do something, these volunteers formed a charity to give vulnerable babies the care they deserve. Almost 40 years later Bliss has grown into the leading UK charity for the 90,000 babies born needing neonatal care every year.

Our visionBliss’ vision is that every baby born premature or sick in the UK has the best chance of survival and quality of life.


Our missionBliss champions the right for every baby born premature or sick to receive the best care. We achieve this by empowering families, influencing policy and practice, and enabling life-changing research.


Our valuesTrustedWe are entrusted to give voice to all babies born premature or sick. We believe that trust is earned and our actions must always be based on what is best for babies.   


SupportiveWe believe that developing supportive relationships is at the heart of what we do, and only by supporting others are we able to achieve our goals. 


AmbitiousWe always go the extra mile to deliver excellence and seek improvement in all we do.



Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Thank you so much - Every donation makes such a huge difference to the precious lives of sick babies and their families