Neonatal intensive care unit raise over £475 on World Prematurity Day!
24 November 2017
Friday 17th November was World Prematurity Day and staff from our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital were in the hospital’s atrium raising awareness about premature birth and selling cakes! The team raised over £475 for our Critical Care Campaign which is redeveloping and expanding the neonatal intensive care unit to be able to treat 150 more babies every year.
Friday 17th November was World Prematurity Day and staff from our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital were in the hospital’s atrium raising awareness about premature birth and selling cakes!
The team raised over £475 for our Critical Care Campaign which is redeveloping and expanding the neonatal intensive care unit to be able to treat 150 more babies every year.
One visitor to the event was 15-year-old Celeste Bokkerink, who was treated in NICU when she was born. Bryony Skipworth, Neonatal Community Liaison Sister on the unit, recently helped Celeste with a school project about prematurity.
Celeste’s school allowed her to take some time off school to come along to the event on Friday and present the staff with her finished school project which will now be displayed in the unit.
Celeste’s mum Muriel said: “I am so happy Celeste was able to come and that she brought her project. It was a bit nerve wracking for her as it is a very personal piece of work. I am glad it is now at the hospital and can be read as a testimonial of our experience.”
Fundraising for the campaign to mark World Prematurity Day wasn't just taking place inside the hospital.
Racheal and Steve Lane held a coffee morning at their home which raised £285. Racheal and Steve’s daughter Keira was born prematurely at 28 weeks and had to be treated in the NICU at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. The family, who live in Peterborough, recently came to the hospital to show Keira where she was treated.
Rachael said: "For us, we just feel incredibly lucky to have such an amazing outcome. And this is mainly due to the staff who work so hard to look after these tiny, tiny babies. We will forever be grateful to them! Keira is now a very happy and healthy 6-year-old. To look at her you wouldn't know what she went through as a tiny baby. We hold a fundraising event every year around World Prematurity Day and donate to various different charities. It's our way of giving back and raising awareness of prematurity."
