As many of you may already know, our son Teddy came into the world when I was just 24 weeks pregnant last September after I contracted Sepsis. With only a 46% chance of surviving his birth, Teddy and us as a family had so much to overcome.

We spent 103 days, 16 weeks, 4 months from September to January in Neonatal Intensive Care Units in both Dublin and Sligo.

Across this time, we had many harrowing moments where it felt like Teddy would never come home with us. He was intubated, tube fed, acquired Sepsis (the same strain I contracted), received multiple lumbar punctures to test for Meningitis, contracted pneumonia, went through weeks of grueling eye examinations which distressed him and us so much.

We spent every hour we could physically manage by his bedside, willing him on.

Despite all he endured, he learned to breath independently, feed from breast and bottle without a tube, be held without desaturating and likewise we learned how to just simply love him and care for him without needing reassurance from monitors, nurses and doctors and on the 103rd day, we brought our miracle boy home one week before he was due and never looked back since.

Teddys story would not have had such a positive outcome had we not received such wonderful care from both The National Maternity Hospital’s NICU and University Hospital Sligo’s NICU & Paediatric team.

Teddy’s consultants in both units, and the incredible specialist NICU nurses became our family during our stay. They held us up when we were at rock bottom, encouraged us to pray and maintain hope on the darkest days and truly are the reason we brought our boy home.

One year on from Teddy’s birth, Niall and I want to raise as much money as we possibly can to donate to each unit. Across the month of September, both Niall and I will individually run 103 miles. 1 mile for every day Teddy spent in intensive care.

We would ask you all to please kindly donate any amount you can to support these units, and the incredible work they do to save these babies lives ❤️

We never imagined this would happen us, and whilst we wouldn’t wish this on anyone - the reality is that it can happen to anyone.

All proceeds from this fundraiser will be divided evenly to Helping Holles Street and University Hospital Sligo’s NICU.

Thank you for your support, Niall, Eimear, Jack, Addie, Anna & Teddy