Karen Patterson

Fundraising for NICU NNUH

Fundraising for Norfolk and Norwich Hospitals Charity
£8,304
raised of £10,000 target
Event: Brighton Half Marathon 2024, on 25 February 2024
The award-winning Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital is a highly specialist unit looking after the needs of premature and critically ill babies. The NICU is one of only three specialist neonatal units

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UPDATED STORY!

123 days later we brought our darling Jesse home!

Jesse came home after becoming very poorly and  having many tests which resulted in him having a stoma bag, he had 6 hours in theatre to remove a stricture. The stoma bag gave his bowels time to rest and reset and a new lease of life. 

The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life is hold my babies hand and walk him down to theatre feeling so hopeless as a mum. 

My dad held my hand all the way down to theatre  and cuddled me tightly, I took my baby boy in to theatre, kissed him, told him to be brave and I would be waiting for him on the other side. 

My baby came back to NICU with more wires then I had ever seen, an epidural and various other drugs. BUT he was ok and stable. We learnt so much, we were taught how to change his stoma bag and how to clean his ileostomy. This was something completely new for me and Lee

When I became pregnant for the first time I was so excited, I never thought I would have a premature baby, and I certainly didn’t think I would go on to have a second one. I craved and still do to have held my babies and not have them taken away from me straight away, to not have had the red button pressed and so many doctors and nurses rush in,  I craved to have held them tightly with no oxygen mask on, I craved to have taken them home straight away and be in a perfect baby bubble, but I didn’t and that’s something that will stay with me forever and I deal with that.  

On the 29th July Jesse had his ileostomy reversed another 6 hour operation and another week in hospital. BUT this was the last trip and everything went just so.

My boys are Fit, Happy and Healthy and they are our world, they make us so proud everyday. Their strength and determination amazes me. Born so so small and so fragile they have grown in to perfect little boys.

All my thanks goes to NICU at the NNUH, not only did they look after my boys they looked after me through the highs and the lows the ups and the downs and I couldn’t be more honoured to be fundraising for them.








I have given birth to two premature babies Hunter at 28 weeks in March 2022 and Jesse at 29 weeks in January 2023.

The doctors and nurses in NICU at NNUH  are complete superstars they make the hard days easier and turn our babies in to warriors champs and fighters. 

My little Boy Hunter was born at 1kg and spent 70days in NICU he fought many infections, was on oxygen for 7 weeks  and ventilated for 7 days. My baby boy was discharged healthy, well and stronger than you can ever imagine. The dedication and time each nurse gave to Hunter I will never ever be able to thank them enough.

My Second baby Jesse was born at 1.4 Kg and  is still on his NICU journey, this ride is different, it’s harder splitting myself in two between my two baby boys.  BUT yet again the doctors and nurses have done it again, caring for  my little baby boy, he’s already fought a scary infection and still currently on oxygen but they are  Making him bigger, better and stronger each day and soon to bring him home.

NICU is a scary place no one knows what it’s like unless you have  been through it, Going to hospital pregnant but not leaving with your baby is truly heart wrenching saying good night tucking them in kissing their forehead and going home is painful it becomes relentless.

The truth is we leave our babies with miracle workers, and these miracle workers make life possible, they make our dreams come true. Make the moment we all dream of to take our babies home with their families.

So to Help our NICU team to do 'more', by making a donation that can provide extra state-of-the-art medical equipment, additional training, improvements to the hospital environment, or better staff rest area facilities.Your support helps to make a difference.

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About the campaign

The award-winning Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital is a highly specialist unit looking after the needs of premature and critically ill babies. The NICU is one of only three specialist neonatal units

About the charity

Whilst the NHS provides the necessities, our hospital charity funds projects that make the hospital experience a better one for our patients, visitors and staff. All donations are used where they are needed most across our hospitals to support the best possible care for patients. Thank you.

Donation summary

Total raised
£8,303.05
+ £1,226.50 Gift Aid
Online donations
£8,303.05
Offline donations
£0.00

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