Thank you for taking the time to visit my Just Giving page. I'm taking part in the Santa Run to raise money for a charity that is very close to my heart, The Winnicott Foundation.

On 16th June 2015 my wife Emily gave birth to our little boy, Teddy, at only 25 weeks gestation. He was born at Queen Charlotte and Chelsea hospital in Hammersmith (QCCH) which specialises in extremely premature and sick babies. The Winnicott Foundation raises funds to support the care in this neonatal unit (as well as St Mary’s in Paddington), going above and beyond what is expected of an ordinary NHS unit.

In partnership with all the incredible team at QCCH, The Winnicott Foundation helps provide the best care for premature and sick babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). We were very lucky to be transferred to this NICU, as it gave Teddy the greatest chance of survival. Not only was Teddy well looked after, but the care and support we received as parents was unforgettable.

It was a life changing experience, we were introduced to a whole new world of incubators, monitors, wires and drips. We went on a steep learning curve ourselves as we watched the medical team keep Teddy alive each day. For 4 months in hospital we lived a completely different life and have been very humbled by the experience.

As well as supporting medical research and funding life saving machinery, the Foundation focuses on the more nurturing side of neonatal care.

To give a few examples, we were provided with live-in parent rooms at the hospital so we could visit Teddy around the clock and be by his side through the highs and lows of his hospital stay. They provided us with books and information and parent support groups, which allowed us to share our wide ranging emotions in a safe, guided environment.

They provide incubator hoods for all babies which promote the best environment for sleep and development. To give extra comfort to Teddy he was given a Zaky hand, which is a bean bag comforter resembling the weight of a parent’s hand. This humanised Teddy’s care allowing him to feel ‘held’ during times when he was too poorly to be cuddled by us.

After 107 days in hospital, Teddy came home at the beginning of October and is thriving. He is now a lovely natured 4yr old and we feel especially lucky to have him with us.

Your donation can help other babies and families who are born too soon and too sick. We went through an overwhelming experience and consider the Foundation as part of our extended family. We can never thank the Foundation and staff at QCCH enough for all they’ve done for us and hope the money raised can help fund the continued support of families like ours.