Claire Stones
Claire's Triathlon/Half Marathon/100km cycle challenge
Fundraising for Liverpool Women's Hospital Charity
Story
**My aim is to raise £1000 for the Neonatal Units at Liverpool Women's Hospital and Ysbyty Glan Clywd where we spent most our 4 month NICU journey.
This page is for donations to Liverpool Women's Hospital.
The page for donations to Cuddles, the Glan Clywd Neonatal charity is here**
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On the 1st December my second daughter was born.
I was only 24 weeks and 1 day pregnant. In an instant everything as we knew it had changed.
Erin was only 750g (1lb 10oz) when she was born in to the
hands of the incredible Neonatal team at Liverpool Womens Hospital.
Erin was unable to breathe for herself for 4 weeks and was then
still reliant on large quantities of oxygen. She was treated for 13 different infections, had multiple blood transfusions and heart surgery at 9 weeks old. At 11 weeks old we were transferred to another amazing NICU unit at Ysbyty Glan Clywd where Erin's amazing care continued.
Erin didn’t give up and neither did the people who worked
day and night, caring for her and the other babies on the unit, every single day, at the most critical of times. On the 28th March, 6 days after her due date we brought Erin home.
One of the hardest things about being a parent in NICU is the
absolute helplessness. I couldn’t do anything to help Erin, I just had to watch as those wonderful people kept her alive and supported her fight.
I couldn’t help Erin but I CAN help the units be equipped to
support babies and parents in every possible way by contributing to the charities that support them. The staff in the units are way beyond skilled medics and therapists - they are counsellors, teachers and friends. This is my thank you, it will never be enough but at least now there is something I can do which will help.
For my challenge I will be completing the Sandman Triathlon the Anglesey Trail Half Marathon and a 100km bike ride.
I have never done a triathlon or run further than 10km. The triathlon includes a 750m sea swim, a 25km bike ride and a 5.5km trail run with the last km on sand. In the last year I have had a baby, sat in a hospital for 4 months and eaten a lot of chocolate in an effort to cheer myself up so this is a pretty big challenge!
Thank you for your support.
I will be blogging my training journey so please follow my
blog on the Always Aim High Events website or on my Facebook page.
Huge thanks to Always Aim High Events for sponsoring my entries and TriRox Training for sponsoring me with amazing coaching to ensure I am fit enough to take this on!