When our baby Maggie was born prematurely, she needed specialist care to help with feeding and breathing from the incredible team at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Heath Hospital. It was a time filled with fear, uncertainty, and emotional overwhelm - certainly not how we imagined welcoming our daughter into the world.

In the midst of this extremely difficult time, Ronald McDonald House Charity gave us something truly priceless: the chance to stay just moments away from Maggie. They provided us with a warm, comfortable place to stay right next to the ward, so we could be by her side every step of the way.

What made this time even harder was being separated from our 5-year-old son, Charlie. Not being able to spend as much time with him as we normally would was heartbreaking - for him and for us. It took an emotional toll on our whole family. But every time Charlie came to visit, the Ronald McDonald House staff made a wonderful fuss of him. They made him feel seen, valued, and even special. Amidst all the uncertainty, he was able to make happy memories in the house - memories he still talks about.

In fact, when we finally brought Maggie home, Charlie asked if we could go back to the house. That speaks volumes about how much it meant to him.

We’ll never forget the support we received - and now we want to give something back. To raise money for this incredible charity, I am taking on a skydive - to push myself in honour of the strength and support RMHC gave us during our toughest days. RMHC relies on donations to continue offering this lifeline to other families going through similar experiences.

If you’re able to donate, no matter how big or small, you’ll be helping keep families together when they need it most.

Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.