Parents Alex and Hannah Campbell, from Bishop’s Stortford, have raised over £7,000 for The Princess Alexandra Hospital Charity’s Neonatal Unit fund in honour of their son, Otis, who spent time receiving specialist care there after he was born more than 10 weeks premature.
On 18 April 2024, at just 29 weeks pregnant, Hannah gave birth to Otis, who weighed just 2lbs. He was immediately admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge before later being transferred to The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, where he continued his neonatal journey closer to home.
Hannah said: “Nothing prepares you for being separated from your baby at birth. Those early weeks were incredibly hard, but the care and compassion we received in Harlow made all the difference. The team didn’t just care for Otis – they cared for me too. We will always be grateful for the support that helped us bring our baby home.”
After six weeks at PAHT, Otis was strong enough to go home in June (2024).
Alex and Hannah Campbell each took on personal running challenges to say thank you to the unit that supported their family during a difficult time and to provide further resources for parents of babies in the unit.
Hannah marked Otis’ first birthday by running the Victoria Park Half Marathon, turning an emotional milestone into a powerful tribute.
“I loved the training, as it gave me a few hours every week to myself and to work through my thoughts,” she said. “It was a kind of therapy after everything we’d been through, and I was supported by my wonderful friends who trained with me.”
Alex followed by running the Cambridge Half Marathon in March, pushing himself to reach a significant personal goal while fundraising for the neonatal team. He said: “I have run a marathon before, but a long time ago, so I had to up my training.
“Fortunately, the support in Cambridge was fantastic, as was running around the colleges within the city. I was emotional as I set off but delighted to finish in under two hours.”
Together, their efforts have raised an incredible amount of money for the Neonatal Unit, helping to support babies and families who require specialist care. In total, the family raised £7,085, with £6,820 received by the charity after standard JustGiving fees. “We wanted to raise money for the Neonatal Unit at PAHT so that they can invest in some of the incredible resources we experienced in Cambridge and support other parents experiencing the trauma that we went through,” Alex and Hannah said.
Natalie Tarrant, Head of The Princess Alexandra Hospital Charity, said: “We are so grateful to Alex and Hannah for choosing to support our Neonatal Unit in such a meaningful way. Raising such an incredible amount of money is a wonderful achievement and a touching tribute to Otis. Donations like this help us provide additional equipment, resources and family-centred support that make a real difference to babies and parents during an incredibly challenging time.”
Husnara Begum, Neonatal Unit Matron at PAHT, added: “It is always incredibly special to see families return to say thank you. Caring for premature and unwell babies is about supporting the whole family, and we are proud to have been part of Otis’ journey home. We are delighted to see him doing so well and are very grateful to Alex and Hannah for their generosity in helping us continue to support other families.”
Donations can still be made via their fundraising page:
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/pah-nicu