On Saturday 10th September, we, along with an army of friends, family and colleagues will walk from Nottingham City Hospital to Long Bennington – a trek of around 21 miles. We chose this route as this is the journey home our daughter Martha should have made, but tragically was unable to do so.

The Plan

All money raised will go towards fully refurbishing the Garden Room on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Nottingham City Hospital. Our mission is to make the room a less clinical environment for families with premature or sick newborn babies, including:

Installing feature ceiling light panels and replacing all existing lighting

Replacing the floor

Bespoke cabinets and corner shelves made and installed

Remove and replace blinds

Replace all furniture

Paint walls

Our Story

On Sunday 21st November 2021, at 23 weeks and 4 days pregnant, I was admitted to Nottingham City Hospital threatening pre term labour. As a baby’s survival increases from a 10% chance at 22 weeks to 60-70% from 24 weeks, we were told to prepare for the worst.

Thankfully, within 24 hours, labour stopped. But for the next four days I remained on labour suite with nearly constant monitoring. A “medical mystery”, I was given steroids, put on a magnesium drip, intravenous antibiotics and placed under 2 to 4 hourly obs. We were told that I needed to get ready for a long term hospital stay and that I wouldn’t be going home for the next 4 months (or before my due date which was 16th March 2022).

In the early hours of Friday 26th November, my waters broke unexpectedly. After 15 hours of labour, Martha Marisa Hallam was born via emergency caesarean at 3:31pm. Martha was an extremely premature 24 weeks and 2 days gestation and weighed 810 grams. As soon as she arrived, she fought to take a breath so was immediately ventilated and whisked off to Neonatal Intensive Care.

Receiving individual 24 hour care, in her first few days Martha’s condition was consistently described as “stable”. She was also described as “feisty” and it was remarked upon that “it’s always the smallest babies that kick our arse, and she is kicking our arse!”

Martha had an infection which only became apparent as the days went on. She was looked after tirelessly by an incredible team of nurses and doctors, but her lungs deteriorated and her heart just wasn’t strong enough.

At 8:30am on Thursday 2nd December 2021, Martha died in my arms. She fought until her very last moment and held on long enough to meet her Mama, Granny and Papa. She was 6 days old and never got to meet her big brother, Henry.

Martha’s impact in her tragically short life has been unimaginable. Not only to her family, but the midwives, doctors, nurses and consultants that provided our care, as well as friends and those around us. And we want that impact to continue and, in her name, help other families and the incredible team who provided us with the most exceptional care.

Whilst we chose a family funeral, some of the midwives who cared for Martha, Adrian and I asked if they could attend. And they were there holding our hands, just as they had been throughout it all. Their support was, and has been, unwavering. From the moment I first visited the ABC unit (Antenatal Baby Care) a week before being admitted, and still continuing today.

The two weeks we spent in hospital were the most traumatic of our lives, but the care, love and kindness the NHS gave to our family was exceptional. We were blessed with the most incredible team of midwives, surgeons, consultants, nurses and doctors. Over and above the medical care, they enveloped us with compassion, sensitivity and hand holding. We will be forever grateful and it is our aim to make our girl proud and do all we can to thank them ❤️

🌳 The Garden Room 🌳

A few weeks ago Julie, an amazing Family Care Sister on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, sent me the photos of the Garden Room. It was tough seeing it again. It’s not as jarring without the bright white lights on, but it’s just as bleak as I remember.

This is the room where we had the very worst conversations of our lives. It’s where I went to FaceTime family in the 6 days we were on NICU. It’s where I chatted to other mums of very poorly babies. I sat on the squeaky sofa in the corner of the room and cried whilst the nurses held my hand. This is where I sat whilst they ventilated Martha after she’d pulled her tube out. It’s where the doctors told us how incredibly poorly she was. It’s where we were led at 5:45am to be told we needed to call our families.

It’s a waiting room. It’s a room for medical conversations, updates and consultations. It’s where parents go for a glass of water and a sit down. Had we stayed in hospital for the 4 months we were planning for, we’d have spent a lot of time in here.

There are 5 bays available on NICU at City Hospital. Martha was one of 4 babies in her bay. The unit is always full, so there are a lot of families using this room. It’s a room we’re desperate to change and is the reason for Martha’s March.