To celebrate James’ 5th birthday I have decided to sign up for a half marathon for Little Roo - charity that supports the Neonatal Intensive care unit at St Peter’s hospital.

James was born 15 weeks premature in October 2020, surrounded by nurses, doctors, and midwives. At a very tiny 1lb 5oz, his skin was translucent like tissue paper, his eyes still not open, and his toes were barely formed. He was immediately attached to countless tubes, and monitors and whisked away to NICU, where he would spend the first 3 months of his life. There was never ending scans, beeping machines, and blood tests. He was fed through an IV line, given antibiotics, steroids, and was even given a shot of caffeine every morning to make sure he was alert enough to remember to breathe.

Nappies were the size of the palm of my hand, and because of how fragile he was, every movement had to be gentle, minimal, and coordinated.

Words can’t really express the depth of emotion and gratitude I feel for how incredible the nurses and doctors were throughout this journey. It’s the first time in my life I realised that real superhero’s exist, and I will be eternally grateful to them for the life James can now live.

NICU nurses are not only caring for the tiniest, most fragile lives, but also supporting parents through one of the hardest journeys they’ll ever face.

Team Little Roo brings together:

- Dedicated staff who care for sick and premature babies on the neonatal unit, running for the tiny patients they care for.

- Families whose babies were cared for on the neonatal unit, together with their relatives and friends. Some are running in thanks, while others are running in memory of their beautiful babies.

Together, we are running 13.1 miles to give every baby the best possible start in life. Your generous donations will help provide life-saving equipment, care for families throughout their neonatal journey, and ongoing support for the amazing NICU team.