Every year, The Sick Children’s Trust works in partnership with neonatal charity Bliss to support World Prematurity Day, which takes place on 17 November.
This year we’re shining a light on mental health and wellbeing, with the #NeonatalFeelings campaign highlighting how parents can look after themselves as well as their little ones. Our ‘Homes from Home’ offer a vital source of comfort by keeping families close to their premature babies and giving them space to process their experiences.
In August 2022, Adam Dale and Caley Flynn’s son Alec was born eleven weeks early at Jessops Hospital in Sheffield. At six weeks old, Alec was diagnosed with a serious heart condition and needed immediate transfer to Leeds Children’s Hospital, over an hour away from the family’s home in Waterthorpe. Recalling Alec’s diagnosis, Adam said:
“Alec was diagnosed with coarctation of the aorta, a serious heart condition that required corrective surgery. We were all in shock. He’d been doing great, hitting all his targets. There were no signs anything was wrong. It was terrifying because we didn’t know what was happening or what was going to happen next.”
A warm, welcoming place to stay
During Alec’s stay in Leeds, Adam and Caley were given a place to stay at Eckersley House, a ‘Home from Home’ provided by The Sick Children’s Trust. Located just minutes from Leeds Children’s Hospital, Eckersley House offered a free, comfortable place for the couple to stay close to Alec. For Adam and Caley, this support was invaluable. Adam said:
“We were so far from home, but thanks to The Sick Children’s Trust, we didn’t have to worry about where we’d stay or how we’d afford it. All we wanted was to be there for our baby, and Eckersley House made that possible.
“We met Jane [McHale], the House Manager at Eckersley, and she was wonderful. She took care of everything for us. The entire staff was amazing, and it felt so homely. When Jane told us there was no financial cost, it was a huge relief—a massive weight lifted off our shoulders. Back in Sheffield, we didn’t need much support, but in Leeds, so far from home, Eckersley House was a lifeline.”
The surgery, performed at the renowned Congenital Heart Unit at Leeds Children’s Hospital, was successful. Now, two years later, Alec is thriving, and Adam and Caley are immensely grateful. Adam reflects on their journey:
“Alec is doing amazing; you’d never know he was premature. He’s been walking and talking for over a year. Medically, he’s doing even better. In March, he was discharged from neonatal follow-ups, and his heart is now as healthy as any other two-year-old’s.
“Now that we’re through it, we feel incredibly lucky to have the little boy we do. At the time, it felt endless, but really, it was just a short chapter that gave Alec the chance to thrive. We’re truly grateful for the care Alec received in Leeds – and for the support we received too. We’ll never forget it.”
World Prematurity Day
World Prematurity Day, which takes place on Sunday 17 November 2024, is a global movement to raise awareness about premature birth and its impact on families. This year, The Sick Children’s Trust, in partnership with neonatal charity Bliss and their #NeonatalFeelings campaign, is focusing on the mental health and wellbeing of parents with babies in neonatal care. Our ‘Homes from Home’ offer a vital source of comfort by keeping families close to their premature babies and giving them space to process their experiences. Reflecting on how Eckersley House supported his and Caley’s mental wellbeing, Adam said:
“As parents, when your child is in the hospital, there’s very little you can control. One of the only things that gave us some sense of control was knowing we could be right by Alec’s bedside, thanks to Eckersley House. Having a place to stay nearby meant we could be there with Alec through everything, easing stresses and pressures we didn’t even have time to think about.”
Each year, we help over 600 families with a baby, many born premature, in neonatal intensive care by providing them with a free place to stay close to their child’s bedside. This support takes one major worry off parents’ minds so they can focus entirely on their little one’s recovery.