Sophia’s Story

After a relatively uneventful pregnancy, baby girl Simpson was getting fed up of wriggling around in Mummy’s tummy and decided she wanted a taste of the real world. She wanted it to happen rather quickly. Quicker than anyone was expecting!

Sophia Anne Simpson was born on Sunday 5th August at 1:48pm and weighed just 1lb 10 ounces (740 grams).  

Being born 16 weeks before your due date presents a fair few challenges, to say the least, and already we have experienced a number of bumps in what will be a long journey. 

Although unexpectedly born at Southend University Hospital, it was essential she transferred to a specialist ward in London where she would receive the care she desperately needed.

Baby Sophia is being cared for by the amazing staff in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel.

Sophia will be in intensive care for a long time and very likely until her “due date” in November, perhaps longer. 

The Sick Children’s Trust 

After our first night of sleeping on the ward at the NICU, Deborah, House Manager from The Sick Children’s Trust, approached us close to Sophia’s cot. Having being briefed on our situation by the medical team, and especially the fact that we lived so far away from the hospital, Deborah offered us the use of a room in a nearby house that the Trust owns.

Stevenson House is a few minutes walk from the NICU ward. As well as having our own bedroom in the house, we also have use of a brilliant shared kitchen and living space. 

Having the opportunity to stay at Stevenson House has meant that we can be close to Sophia every single day, and be with her in just a few minutes should the doctors or nurses contact us. It also means a commute of minimum 90 mins each way to be at the ward has been reduced to just a few minutes. 

Being able to see Sophia first thing in the morning, throughout the day, and especially last thing at night has made this difficult time that much easier.

The Sick Children’s Trust provides families with ‘Home from Home’ accommodation and is able to do this through the generosity of private donations. 

We have set up this JustGiving page in order to support this incredible charity. It’s hard to imagine how we would cope without Stevenson House and the fabulous team that work for The Sick Children’s Trust. 

http://www.sickchildrenstrust.org/index.html