Neonatal team to abseil for superhero parents

Four fearless women are planning to abseil down the side of Bradford Royal Infirmary to raise money for the hospital’s neonatal appeal.

Neonatal Senior Sister Holly Eve, her friend Claire Beaumont, her mum Judy Kaye and Neonatal Sister Carly Miller, are all taking part in Bradford Hospitals’ Charity’s superhero abseil on Saturday 21 September.

Holly said the foursome wanted to pay tribute to the neonatal mums and dads. “They are superheroes to us,” said Holly. “We see the emotions they go through while their children are being cared for in our unit and so we want to recognise this and raise money to provide more accommodation for parents to stay close to their babies.”

Bradford’s BIG Neonatal Appeal aims to raise £500,000 to create five extra bedrooms to allow parents to stay close to their babies while they are being treated in the unit. They also aim to refurbish communal areas, sibling facilities, create an outdoor space for parents to enjoy and provide end of life care and accommodation.

For more information and to see the appeal film, visit https://bradfordhospitalscharity.org/big-neonatal-appeal/

“As a nurse and a mummy, the thought of not being able to be close to my baby, who might also be poorly, is unbearable and unimaginable,” said Holly. “It means the world to parents to be close to their baby.

“When you see a mum who is exhausted and needs to rest, then having to drive, or she may have other children who she must split her time between, we want to help! Having more parental accommodation next to the unit means families can stay together.”

Holly explained that many families travel long distance for treatment in Bradford, as the Neonatal Unit is a regional centre. As the unit currently has only two bedrooms attached, and two in a different department, they must make tough decisions to prioritise which families have them. “Ideally, we want all parents to stay close to their babies, but that’s not possible as we have 31 cots,” she said.

Holly said the team were looking forward to the big day. “This abseil is nothing compared to what our mums and dads go through, so we’re looking forward to taking part and raising as much money as possible,” she said.

Hayley Collis, head of fundraising for Bradford Hospitals’ Charity, said: “Our neonatal doctors, nurses and support staff are truly dedicated to providing the very best for babies and their parents.

“They see first-hand how tough it is for families who are coping with emotional distress, as well as the logistics of family life. We are confident that the people of Bradford will get behind this appeal to raise half a million pounds and allow us to build bedrooms for our families to stay close.”

If you would like to sponsor Holly, Claire (owner of Dewsbury’s Newlay Readymix Ltd), Judy and Carly, visit their Just Giving page at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/neonatalheroes-hollyeve-carlymiller-clairebeaumont-judykaye

It’s not too late to sign up to the abseil! To find out more visit https://bradfordhospitalscharity.org/event/charity-superhero-abseil/ or call the charity office on 01274 274809.

To find out more about Bradford Hospitals’ Charity and how you can support your local hospitals, visit www.bradfordhospitalscharity.org. Alternatively, contact Hayley Collis or Elaine Drake on 01274 274809 or email [email protected]

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