Story
Maxine and Leo like to set themselves a new challenge and raise money for important charities every year. This year, they are taking on a 300 mile bicycle challenge in dark and unpleasant November. Over 3 days they will be cycling from London to the Midlands, then around and up and down the Peak district and then finally (hopefully onto some flatter terrain) to East Anglia.
The conditions should be quite grim as they should encounter some wet and windy weather, and Maxine and Leo are confident it will be their biggest challenge to date.
They are doing it for a very special and poignant cause, Ickle Pickles, a charity that means a lot to Maxine and those close to her.
Maxine: "I want to raise as much as I can to help all the babies who are born too small and too young, just like my nephews Owen and Lucas.
In 2009, after developing severe pre-eclampsia, my sister gave birth to twin boys by emergency c-section at just 25 weeks. Owen weighed 1LB 8oz and Lucas just 1LB.
Both boys were cared for by the truly amazing staff at Portsmouth NICU. As you can imagine this was an incredibly terrifying time for the whole family - the boys were just so small and incredibly fragile.
After three months, Owen was finally healthy enough and big enough to come home however, because of his size, Lucas suffered from complications and had to undergo several surgeries.
Lucas was a true fighter and we always hoped that he would one day be strong enough to come home and be with his brother. Sadly in January 2010, after nearly nine months, Lucas passed away.
Ickle Pickles raise much needed funds for babies and their families who have to spend time on a neonatal intensive care unit. Please donate as much as you can afford so we can make life just a little bit easier for the babies and parents who find themselves on the NICU."
The conditions should be quite grim as they should encounter some wet and windy weather, and Maxine and Leo are confident it will be their biggest challenge to date.
They are doing it for a very special and poignant cause, Ickle Pickles, a charity that means a lot to Maxine and those close to her.
Maxine: "I want to raise as much as I can to help all the babies who are born too small and too young, just like my nephews Owen and Lucas.
In 2009, after developing severe pre-eclampsia, my sister gave birth to twin boys by emergency c-section at just 25 weeks. Owen weighed 1LB 8oz and Lucas just 1LB.
Both boys were cared for by the truly amazing staff at Portsmouth NICU. As you can imagine this was an incredibly terrifying time for the whole family - the boys were just so small and incredibly fragile.
After three months, Owen was finally healthy enough and big enough to come home however, because of his size, Lucas suffered from complications and had to undergo several surgeries.
Lucas was a true fighter and we always hoped that he would one day be strong enough to come home and be with his brother. Sadly in January 2010, after nearly nine months, Lucas passed away.
Ickle Pickles raise much needed funds for babies and their families who have to spend time on a neonatal intensive care unit. Please donate as much as you can afford so we can make life just a little bit easier for the babies and parents who find themselves on the NICU."
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.