I have been offered the chance to take part in one of the most amazing half marathons there is and raise money for a great cause at the same time.

Tiny Lives supported my cousin and her husband through the premature birth of their son George, please read their story below,

Georges Story

On 16th May 2016, Louise was rushed in to Surgery at the Newcastle RVI hospital with a placental abruption, which means (to those without a medical background) that our 27 week gestational aged baby had become detached from Louise’s body and was being starved of blood (and hence oxygen) within Louise’s womb.

George was delivered blue, lifeless and floppy after an emergency caesarean section, and after 14 minutes of heart massage it looked like George wasn’t going to make it. Only through the skill and persistence of the medical team at the RVI was it possible to raise George’s heart rate and transfer him immediately to the intensive care suite. He weighed just 1lb 3oz (550 grams).

On the first day of George’s life they were told that he was extremely ill, and that the consultants responsible for him weren’t sure of his chances of survival. They would ‘get to know him’ over the following hours / days and we should prepare ourselves for the roller coaster of emotions that were to follow.

Within the first week Louise and Paul learnt that George was unable to breathe for himself, he had a wide open heart duct (which would require surgery in the near future), he was anaemic, severely jaundice, was suffering from suspected sepsis (an infection) due to the intravenous lines (which were in each arm, each leg and his belly button) and that he was potentially suffering from Necrotising Enterocolitis (NEC).

Another issue that became apparent in the early days was that George had an inability to create his own Adrenalin, an issue which could mean lifetime blood pressure support.

George really didn’t have great odds on his side, They had a blessing (christening) for George in the first week. The christening was the first time Louise, Paul and George spent quality time as a family.

George was transferred for heart surgery at the Royal Freeman Hospital in Newcastle in the early weeks of his life to have his duct closed up, Georges chances without this operation were very slim. Thankfully it was a success and proved to be the turning point for many of Georges’ ailments. Over the following weeks, Georges breathing support was reduced, he was able to open his bowels, and he eventually started to increase in weight. 

George also underwent treatment for ROP(Retinopathy of Prematurity), where without treatment he would inevitably go blind. 

George is now 2 years old and a beautiful, happy little boy,

How Tiny lives support families and premature babies like George.

The Tiny Lives Trust is a registered charity that helps to care for premature and sick newborn babies, their mothers and families in the Special Care Baby Unit of the Newcastle Neonatal Service based in Ward 35 of the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle

The fund aims to provide the highest quality of care on an ongoing basis and  needs to raise at least £250,000 every year to support a range of facilities, staff, and equipment:

• developmental care aids  and equipment, for example baby nests, gel pillows, sleep shades, and noise level monitors that offer the highest quality of care


• a package of support for every family so parents can chart their baby’s progress, including a memory box, journal, and stickers to record those early critical days, weeks, and sometimes months


• a family room and accommodation as families often have to stay close to their baby


• travel costs – financial support for low income families who may have to travel for many months from across the region


• a Neonatal Physiotherapist to aid early development, support families, and train nursing staff


• specialist training so nursing staff have access to the latest developments in neonatal care


• a dedicated Social Worker who provides social, emotional, and practical support for parents


• research grants that enable the unit to lead on neonatal developments and offer the highest quality of care

Please help me support more families like Louise, Paul and Georges's

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.