The Fundraising Project
It is our 30 year anniversay, so we want to aim for the stars! Our goal is to raise as much money as we can for our 3 flagship Neonatal wards that include The Great Western Hospital, Reading Hospital and Basingstoke & Dean Hospital.
Each specialist neonatal ward usually have a wish list of equipment they need that include incubators, ventilators, critocool machines, breast pumps and much more. All this equipment costs thousands of pounds, so we hope to be able to fund an item each on their list. The more we raise, the higher value of equipment we can offer.
Jo Hilton
Lead Nurse Paediatrics
How will this help?
Early treatment is crucial for these tiny babies to minimise risks of lung damage and other related problems. Having access to a specialist ventilator immediately after birth is vital. This also reduces the chances of the baby being transferred to another hospital, often miles from home.
The Royal Berks Hospital cares for an average of 500 babies each year, the majority of which are born to mothers from the West Berks and Reading areas. They currently need three ventilators at a cost of £34,000 each. New Life is working in partnership with BIBS and The RBH to fund one of those three ventilators.
Lead Nurse Paediatrics and Neonates, Jo Hilton, said, "This new ventilator will significantly enhance our unit's capabilities. The Royal Berkshire Hospital is in dire need of new equipment, including incubators and respiratory devices. We are immensely grateful to New Life Special Care Babies for its tremendous and ongoing support and we are delighted that SPORTathon has chosen us for their 2024 project."