Bradley’s 100 miles puts him in premier league

Bradley has just walked 100 miles over a month-long period to raise £355 for mums and babies charity Baby Beat to “give back” to the Neo Natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Royal Preston Hospital’s Sharoe Green Maternity Unit, which looked after him for the first seven weeks of his life.

No mean distance for anyone, the challenge of completing the feat was even harder for PNE fan Bradley, who born at just under 30 weeks into mum Alex’s pregnancy, and has cerebral palsy, dyspraxia and hypermobility.

Proud Alex, who works at a nursery in Fulwood, said: “Since Bradley’s birth, we have supported NICU by putting together Christmas hampers every year for staff and families as well as gifting treats on occasions such as Mother’s Day and Father’s Day but this year, Bradley wanted to give something back by pushing himself physically despite his struggles.

“Bradley weighed just 2lb, 8oz at birth. I had noticed that he wasn't moving at all when I was getting ready for bed one evening so I went to get checked at triage. A scan showed that Bradley had reduced liquor, an ominous heart rate and was in grave distress. I had an emergency Caesarian Section. Bradley had to be resuscitated and was taken to NICU. We were told that if we had waited until the morning to get checked, Bradley would not have survived.

Alex continued: “I was also very poorly as I contracted a septic womb infection 10 days post -partum and was further hospitalised for another week. Bradley came home weighing 4lb, 4oz but during his time in NICU, a scan revealed he had a haemorrhage on the brain. He went from high dependency to special care and then back again many times! It was very much a case of one step forwards and two steps back.”

Bradley has had to wear splints and orthotic boots because of his cerebral palsy, which led to him walking on his toes most of the time when younger.

As this can shorten the calf muscles and Achilles tendon, Bradley recently had to undergo serial casting on both his legs to help gradually stretch his calf muscles and improve ankle movement. Alex explained: “It meant Bradley had to use a frame or a wheelchair and completely re-learn how to walk in a brand new way.

“Despite the physical struggles and the emotional stress of this, Bradley still passed all of his Year 6 SATS exams and is now looking forward to starting high school. It also hasn’t stopped him playing football or cycling or enjoying walks with myself, dad and his sister Holly, who is nine and supported him on his fundraising challenge.”

Of his challenge, Bradley said: “It was hard work but I was determined to do the walk as I really want to help support babies like me, who might have been born too sick or too early, to show them and their families that they can grow up and do anything or be anything.”

Joanna Allitt, fundraising manager for Baby Beat, said: “Well done to Bradley. He should be incredibly proud of himself. I bet there aren’t many children of his age anywhere in the country, who can lay claim to walking 100 miles during their summer holiday let alone all in one month! It puts Bradley in the premier league of our supporters.

“Thank you to Alex, Holly and everyone who supported Bradley with his challenge. Thank you too to Bradley and his family for always thinking of NICU. To the staff working there and the families that find themselves there, the positive impact of receiving a Christmas hamper or other treat goes way deeper than you can imagine.”

Baby Beat, which is part of the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals charity family, funds specialist equipment, other patient services and comforts, clinical care, local research, additional training and staff welfare projects so that the maternity and gynaecology teams based at the Sharoe Green Maternity Unit can offer the best possible outcomes for babies and mums in the Central Lancashire and Chorley area.

Baby Beat also supports the unit’s NICU (Neo Natal Intensive Care Unit), helping 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