Kerry Myles
Small but Mighty challenge
Fundraising for The Smallest Things
Story
My story
Even now 4 years on, it’s sometimes difficult to comprehend that this is my story…
In October 2019 after a mini break away I was taken ill off a plane in Boston, USA while 23 weeks pregnant. 16 days later my son Alfie was born very suddenly and traumatically over 3 months premature at 26 weeks weighing just 2lbs 2oz. Alfie was face-presented and severely bruised to a point it was difficult to see any of his facial features, he suffered a very serious bleed on his brain and we spent an agonising 72 hours waiting to understand if he would be permanently brain damaged.
After giving birth, I had to wait 5 hours before I was even able to see Alfie and was then returned to a hospital room on my own unable to be with my newborn baby while the doctors tried to stabilise him. On day 3 of Alfie’s life, I was able to hold him for the first time, but this was for less than 10 minutes as he was unable to keep his temperature where his skin hadn’t fully formed yet. Most of my contact with him for the first few months was at 3-hour intervals through the portholes of the incubator. He spent 52 days on oxygen and 88 nights in NICU where all I had was a teddy from his incubator to take home to bed with me each night.
I fight every day for parents of premature babies because no-one should have to spend precious leave unable to be with their baby.
I am now an incredibly proud Trustee for the charity The Smallest Things and am taking on a very personal challenge on the charity’s 10-year anniversary to raise awareness for premature families.
My Challenge
On 24.2.24 I will be running 26KM (Alfie was born at 26 weeks), 2am to 2pm (Alfie was 2lb 2oz) running through the night (because the NICU is one of the loneliest places in the world) and running at 3 hour intervals (5x 5.2km) to signify the times I was able to touch him in the incubator.
I will start at the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital where Alfie is still an outpatient and finish in Goring where we live.
The Route:
2am Start: Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital Brighton
5am: Hove Beach
8am: Shoreham Beach
11am: Perch on Lancing Beach
2pm: The Cornerhouse, Worthing
Finish: Sea Lane Cafe, Goring-by-Sea
How can you support:
1) Ask your organisation to become an Employer with Heart - because no parent should spend precious leave unable to be with their baby.
2) Donate to The Smallest Things
3) Cheer us on for our final stretch leaving The Corner House in Worthing at 2pm, arriving at Sea Lane Cafe, Goring around 2.30pm
My full story can be found here: