Hey everyone,

Thanks for visiting my JustGiving page!

On April 13th 2025, I’ll be running my first-ever marathon! The Paris Marathon, to support a cause very close to my heart: The Ickle Pickles Children’s Charity. They’re the only UK charity that helps hospitals raise money to buy essential equipment for premature babies nationally. They provide much-needed intensive and special-care equipment for neonatal units and upgrade facilities to support parents and neonatal staff, making a life-changing impact.

This cause is very personal to me because of my little niece, Kiara, who was born at just over 24 weeks, weighing 588 grams. Thanks to the incredible care of the neonatal intensive care unit (Trevor Mann Baby Unit) at The Royal County Sussex Hospital in Brighton, worked tirelessly to give her the very best chance at life. Kiara overcame unimaginable challenges. Today, at 1 year and 8 months, she’s thriving with no health concerns.

The work NICUs do is nothing short of miraculous, and I want to help more tiny fighters like Kiara. Every donation, big or small, will go towards providing essential equipment and support for premature and critically ill babies.

Did you know it costs £27,000 to purchase an incubator? And £2,000 a day for a baby to be cared for in a neonatal unit? The average length of stay for a baby born between 28-31 weeks gestation is 44 days. We know that the neonatal journey is a marathon and not a sprint.

Paris is a city I love, and running its streets for such a meaningful cause makes this challenge even more special. I know it won’t be easy, but thinking of Kiara and all the little ones will fuel me every step of the way.

Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity. Together, we can make a real difference for these little miracles.

With love, Leena xxx

[P.S. Let’s do this! 💪🏽🚀]