✨ Hi everyone! I’m Emily, and on 01/11/25 I’ll be throwing myself out of a plane (with a parachute, don’t worry!) all in the name of raising money for UHNM’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Royal Stoke University Hospital.

This cause means the world to me because of my little whirlwind superheroes, Tommy and Carter! The boys both had a tough start to life and wouldn’t be the cheeky, unstoppable boys they are today without the amazing NICU team.

Tommy’s story:

Tommy was born after a whirlwind of complications – I developed chorioamnionitis and sepsis during labour, which led to an emergency caesarean and then a further surgery a week later to clear the infection out of my body. When Tommy was born we discovered 2 things, 

one being that he also had sepsis and the second discovery was that he has a rare condition called symbrachydactyly (upper limb difference) which was not detected on scans and can at times inhibit his motor skills. Tommy needed specialist care from NICU doctors while we spent 19 days in hospital together, he is now thriving as a crazy 4 year old despite the small difficulties caused by his limb condition!

Carter’s story:

Not to be outdone by his big brother, Carter decided to make his entrance at 35 weeks via (you guessed it) another emergency caesarean. From around 28 weeks, I’d been in and out of preterm labour – let me tell you, that was NOT the kind of fun rollercoaster people sign up for! (Though at least this sky dive will be over quicker than all of those false alarms!). Carter arrived with congenital pneumonia and sepsis and spent 2 weeks in the NICU on CPAP & oxygen therapy and antibiotics. Even once he was home, the wonderful NICU nurses continued caring for him through home visits and supporting us with his plagiocephaly, weight gain, and temperature regulation. Carter is now the cheekiest, most clever little 2 year old despite the battles he faced at birth!

The care, compassion, and expertise of the NICU team has shaped our family’s journey, and now I want to give back in the biggest (and probably scariest) way I can – jumping out of a plane for them!

If you can spare a donation, big or small, it will go directly to supporting the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit so they can continue helping babies and families just like ours. And if you can’t donate, a share means just as much.

Thank you so much for supporting me, Tommy, Carter, and the incredible team at UHNM.

See you in the skies guys!!✈️

— Emily ✨