On 14 January 2024, our (Simon and Pixie’s) daughter and David’s niece, Sophie, was born. A few hours later, Sophie was rushed off to intensive care, struggling for oxygen. Some days later, we found out that she had a Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection.

Thanks to the amazing support of the intensive care staff at The Portland, Sophie was discharged from Hospital two weeks after her birth and is recovering well.

Nevertheless, GBS is the UK's most common cause of life-threatening infection in newborn babies and of meningitis in babies under age 3 months. And most GBS infections are preventable.

On average in the UK, at least

-two babies a day develop a GBS infection

-one baby a week dies from their GBS infection, and

-one baby a week survives with long-term disabilities – physical, mental or both.

Group B Strep Support informs families & health professionals about GBS to save tiny lives. Throughout Sophie’s time in intensive care, the information that Group B Strep Support provided through their website, leaflets and emails was invaluable. We’d like to support the charity in continuing this work, so other families can benefit from them like us.

To do this, the three of us (Simon, Pixie and David) are taking part in the Inflatable 5km Course on August 17th 2024:

https://www.ukrunningevents.co.uk/events/inflatable-5k/basildon_essex_2024