Chorley couple’s NICU new arrival

Rachel and Neil Williams, along with a now thriving Eva, were the guests of consultant paediatric neonatologist Dr Richa Gupta. Dr Gupta and her team, who had cared for Eva, invited them in to celebrate the delivery of two mOm incubators.

These innovative incubators were funded by Baby Beat, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s mums and babies charity, with a £16,000 donation from serving army officer Neil and TSB area manager Rachel, who also have a 10-year-old son, Noah.

They raised the funds which, with a £3,800 top-up from the charity, also bought three already delivered and in use height adjustable cots for NICU, by organising a glittering black tie ball at Preston’s Marriott Hotel in the summer.

Much of the ball’s planning was undertaken during Neil and Rachel’s time on NICU waiting for Eva to reach her go home weight of 4lbs.

Neil said: “We wanted to thank the staff for all the care they gave Eva and for all the support they gave to us. We thought that through the ball, we might raise around £8,000 to £10,000 so to achieve the donation we did was both wonderful and quite overwhelming.

“We remain incredibly grateful to our families and friends for their generosity, to the local businesses that supported the ball’s auction and raffle, to Manchester’s Centurion Lodge and Chorley’s Blainescough Lodge for their generous donations and to the 30 NICU staff members, who bought tickets to attend the ball.”

Joanna Allitt, fundraising manager for Baby Beat, said: “Neil and Rachel gave us a fantastic donation. It has enabled us to buy all this new equipment for NICU. We have had the cots for a while now and they are much appreciated by staff and parents.

“The mOm incubators are compact, lightweight, robust and energy efficient infant incubators offering a safe, medical-grade thermos-regulated environment for newborns to thrive in. Weighing just 20kg, their innovative design with incorporated back-up battery makes them an excellent solution to provide flexibility across Maternity and Neonatal services. The mOm incubators were much desired and to be able to provide them via Neil and Rachel’s donation is brilliant. We are incredibly grateful.”

Joanne Hanson, territory manager for mOm Incubators, who brought cupcakes for the celebration, said: “It was fantastic to meet Neil, Rachel and Eva, Joanna from Baby Beat and NICU staff. Dr Gupta has been an advisor and friend of mOm. Sharing her clinical expertise and insight, we have valued all that she has offered to us and continue to work with and support her and her team at Royal Preston Hospital.”

Baby Beat funds specialist equipment, patient services and comforts, clinical care, local research, additional training and staff welfare projects so that the maternity and gynaecology teams can offer the best possible outcomes for babies and mums in the Central Lancashire and Chorley area.

With Baby Beat’s support, NICU continues to provide exceptional care for premature and sick babies and their families from across Lancashire and South Cumbria. For further information on Baby Beat’s work and how to support, visit www.babybeat.org.uk