I’m raising money but also AWARENESS so please read Albie’s story... after a
wonderful pregnancy and home birth the midwife who visited us the following day
noticed that our baby’s breathing was a bit quick and calmly sent us off to
A&E. We thought we would be in and out but Albie was quickly whisked away
from us and taken into NICU, after a painstaking 4/5 hours without seeing him
we were told he had a lung infection. We thank our lucky stars Albie made a
full recovery, Albie’s consultant said that we nearly lost him (going from a
sick baby when we arrived in A&E to a critically ill one by the time he was
moved into intensive care) but so thankfully he doesn’t have
any lasting effects and he is now a very healthy and happy young chap. Very sadly this is not always the case...

My husband and I had never heard of
Group B Strep, the cause of Albie being ill, before and there were no signs
during my pregnancy. Group B Streptococcus is the UK's most common
cause of life-threatening infection in newborn babies and of meningitis in
babies under age 3 months. On average in the UK, at least-two babies a day
develop a group B Strep infection -one baby a week dies from their GBS
infection, and-one baby a week survives with long-term disabilities – physical,
mental or both.

Yet most group B Strep infections are
preventable. Group B Strep Support informs families & health professionals
about group B Strep to save tiny lives.

The eradication of avoidable group B Strep infection in babies, plus greater awareness & knowledge of group B Strep among new and expectant parents and their health professionals. 

Until this happens Group B Strep
Support offers support and information to those affected or concerned about
group B Strep & highlights the availability of private testing. Our main
aims are:

1. To offer information and support
to families affected by group B Streptococcus

2. To inform health professionals
and individuals how most group B Strep infections in newborn babies can be
prevented and campaign for improvement to UK prevention strategies

3. To generate continued support for
research into preventing group B Strep infections in newborn babies