On Sunday 6 April, two neonatal nurses will take part in the London Landmarks Half Marathon to support the babies and families they care for on the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at St Peter’s Hospital.
Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Emily and Neonatal Nurse, Sarah who have worked on NICU for 13 years, were inspired to run because of the love of their job, which involves caring for babies and families who spend time on the unit.
They will be running 13.1 miles to support the Little Roo Neonatal Fund, who support some of the smallest and sickest patients cared for by the trust from across Surrey, Kent and Sussex.
Emily said: “I’ve been part of their journey and seen very poorly babies become strong enough to go home with their families. There is a real dedication of care from all the staff. A lot of this would not be possible without the support of Little Roo. The charity helps provide much needed donations for extra equipment such as ventilators and transport equipment, as well as providing funding for our parents’ accommodation and quiet space. No one expects their baby to be cared for on a neonatal unit, so being able to support them is something special.”
Sarah added: “We have been given so much support from Little Roo over the years, with new incubators, ventilators and a renovated parents accommodation and staff room, plus sibling packs/welcome pack and a well-stocked snack station for parents. I have seen first-hand how all these initiatives have made such a difference for babies and families, and I wanted to give something back.”
Emily and Sarah will be running with 11 other participants, many of them families who themselves spent time on NICU with their babies.
Sid Hurry, Little Roo Neonatal Fund Charity Manager, said: We are incredibly grateful to Emily, Sarah and the 11 other runners for their dedication and commitment to supporting Little Roo. Their efforts not only raise vital funds but also help to spread awareness about the important work we do. We wish them the best of luck and thank all of our Little Roo Legends for their support."
If you’d like to support Emily Sarah as they run for this incredible cause, please visit their Just Giving pages:
- www.justgiving.com/page/emily-kemmish-1729972168156
- www.justgiving.com/page/sarah-worster-1731075883628
Little Roo Neonatal Fund, which is part of the Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals Charity (Charity number: 1058567), supports poorly and premature babies, their families and the staff who care for them on St Peter’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
