A farmer is incorporating his day job into his London Marathon training, to raise funds for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
Ian Metson, a farmer from Essex, was inspired to support the unit after the team cared for the son of shepherdess Hannah Whiteley and partner Frasier.
Teddie was born at Broomfield Hospital last July weighing 5lb 5oz and later transferred him to the N&N, where he was diagnosed with the rare genetic disorder Brain-lung-thyroid syndrome
Ian said: “Teddie was sedated and ventilated for seven weeks to help him breath whilst he got stronger with steroids, antibiotics and amazing care from nurses and consultants. At three weeks, Hannah and Fraiser took part in new genetic testing which resulted in a diagnosis at five weeks old.
“During their stay at the N&N, they stayed on the ward for four weeks and then in the parents’ house on site at the hospital.
“Teddie, Hannah and Fraiser were at the N&N for 71 days before being transferred back to paediatrics at Broomfield. They lived at the hospital with only one night back home.
“Teddie is now seven months old and wouldn’t be where he is now without the outstanding care from the staff at N&N NICU.”
The family stayed part of the time in McKee House – a five-bedroom property just a two-minute walk from the N&N which offers double en-suite bedrooms, a shared kitchen, lounge and dining area.
It provides a base for parents of premature or unwell babies, receiving specialist, life-saving care at a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for a nominal fee, be that a week. a month or longer.
Hannah said: “The nurses became family and without the expert care and compassion for us and Teddie the whole situation could have been a thousand times worse.”
Ian added: “I’m raising money to help fund state-of-the art equipment used for the NICU babies, to support families living their lives in the four walls of the ward until their babies are well enough to move on, and to assist in helping the nurses get the additional training they require and rest areas to ensure they are looked after as well as they look after their patients and parents.
“Please support such an amazing cause, they deserve our help. Teddie is only one baby out of thousands of unwell, premature babies supported by NICU at the N&N.”
You can support Ian and the team at NICU by making a donation here https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ian-metson
