My niece, Iris was born in June 2023 at Hull Royal Infirmary. She was born 15 weeks early weighing just 1 pound 4 ounces. At 30 weeks she was transferred to Rotherham hospital, where her expert care continued for a further 7 weeks weeks until she was able to go home. During this time, the staff in the unit not only cared for iris round the clock but were also there to provide constant support to James and Beth who were amazing and never left iris’s side. Iris is now thriving at home all thanks to the incredible support she received at the unit and her amazing mum and dad.

This June I will be completing an iron man 70.3 in order to raise money for the Rotherham Hospital Tiny Toes Appeal. The appeal will fund an overhaul of the family rooms in the neonatal unit and any donations you give will go specifically towards helping to make the unit like a home from home for families facing such stressful times.

The Tiny Toes appeal aims to raise money to help fund the redevelopment of the Neonatal Unit at Rotherham Hospital.

The existing ward and its caring and compassionate staff are highly praised by families, but the facilities require upgrading to ensure their excellent standard of care can continue for generations to come.

When babies are born prematurely, they are vulnerable and in need of round the clock support. Care on the ward focuses on allowing babies to fully develop while monitoring issues usually associated with their breathing, feeding and muscle development.

The average pregnancy lasts around 40 weeks but Rotherham’s neonatal unit cares for youngsters born from 27 weeks. Neontatal babies can spend one or two days on the unit to a few months. Occasional this could be up to six months.

The unit, which many people know as the Special Care Baby Unit, has separate high dependency and intensive care rooms for the most poorly babies, cubicles and two nurseries, which are used to nurse those who are almost ready to go home.

The appeal will raise funds to make the unit homely as parents can often spend longer in hospital than at home. The appeal will fund an overhaul of the family rooms, including repainting and soft furnishings, furniture, modern showers and kitchen facilities.

Parents tell us that having a premature baby is an emotional time. They are often faced with weeks of additional care and it’s a tiring and stressful time as we nurse their little ones to full health at Rotherham Hospital.