On 28 April 2019, I’m running the London Marathon in order to raise as much money as possible for Bliss, the only national charity dedicated to improving both the survival and long-term quality of life for babies born too soon, too small or too sick to cope on their own.  

It is a charity which is very close to our hearts.

On 26 November 2009, our twins Florence and Jack unexpectedly entered the world at just 26 weeks and 2 days, weighing in at 790 grams and 900 grams respectively, each less than a bag of sugar. We were told it was unlikely that they would survive the birth. Against all the odds, they battled through thanks to some wonderful nursing and expert medical care at a number of London hospitals, including Chelsea & Westminster and Kingston, where they spent their first few months.   

Just over 9 years on, they are thankfully thriving but we will never forget the start they had in life.  The photos on our Just Giving page will give you some idea of how far they have come. 

Bliss

The road ahead is a very long and dark one when your children are born so early. We were indebted to the support, not only of family and friends, but also of Bliss. In particular, Bliss’s advice helped us to make sense of all the monitors, wires and operations that were needed to keep the twins alive. Their reassurance was invaluable.

1 in every 9 babies in the UK is born either premature or sick. That is over 80,000 babies every year. Every six minutes another baby is admitted to a special care baby unit. The vital care that premature and sick babies receive after birth can have a profound impact on the rest of their lives.

As well as providing emotional support and guidance for families affected, Bliss fights and lobbies hard to combat the desperate shortages in specialist nursing and medical staff, as well as funding crucial life-changing research into the care of premature babies. 

Thanks for all your support.

Love

Jemima