Hello my name is Maisie and I'm 5. In my summer holidays I'm walking 75 miles to raise money for Isaac's hospital (St George's Neonatal). Please can you sponsor me? From Maisie

Hello and thanks for taking the time to read Maisie's page. Last year we were privileged to experience the incredible work that goes on in St George's Neonatal Unit. To thank them for the amazing work they do, Maisie is going to walk 75 miles to raise money for First Touch, the charity which supports the Neonatal Unit at St George's. We had 75 very precious days with our baby boy, and every day was more than a marathon for him, so we're going to walk a mile for every Isaac marathon. First Touch are currently raising funds for 2 new Maquet ventilators, the same as Isaac was on for 47 days of his little life. The cost to the Neonatal Unit for 1 machine is £42,000. We've set a new target at £21,000, having smashed the first 2 targets, but Maisie still thinks we can get £42,000! It's only a 4 and a 2 and 3 0's! 😄

Please help make her dream come true!

P.S. Some kind donors have been struggling to make the payment link work.. if you click the 3 dots in the top corner and select 'desktop site' it should do the trick. Thanks so much!

Isaac's Story

Isaac was born 12 weeks early on 15th March last year. We were told at the 20 week scan that he was very small (off the chart!), due to placental insufficiency, and it was a case of going a day at a time to see if he survived to a weight where it was viable for him to be delivered. After many hospital trips to St Peters and hours of monitoring, he was delivered at 27+4 weeks by emergency C-section, weighing just 460 grams.

He then had to be transferred to St George's at 2 days old for surgery for a perforated bowel. The risks were so high and we were told it's the most complicated procedure they would do on such a small baby - they were operating on a tummy only 5cm wide! It was a miracle he came through and he was given a stoma which took over 2 weeks to start working.

He then braved the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) rollercoaster until he had another perforation at 6 weeks old. He was in a critical condition with overwhelming sepsis and we were told his body was very shut down. But he was a fighter and he pulled through yet again and had his second life saving surgery 3 days later. This time they formed 4 bowel outlets on his stomach.

His liver and kidneys never really started working again and 3 weeks later it was clear he had another perforation. Sadly, surgery wasn't an option this time as his blood clotting levels were so deranged there was no chance of him surviving if they were to operate. In his time on the unit he had 16 blood transfusions and 13 platelet transfusions - more than all the other babies on the unit put together! He had defied the odds time after time but they finally said they had done everything they could for him and there was nothing more they could do and that the intensive care was only prolonging the suffering. The life support was removed on 29th May and his sufferings were over forever - safe in the arms of Jesus.

To witness the work that goes on in a NICU is truly phenomenal. Not only the care for the precious preemies, every minute of every day and night, but also all the care and support that First Touch provides for the families at St George's. The work you do is incredible! We have SO much to thank you for, and we'll never forget your kindness and care.