Parents hosting sponsored walk for Holles Street
THE parents of a baby boy who was at 26 weeks are organising a fund-raising event as a way of saying ‘ thank you’ to Holles Street Hospital.
Eimear Halpenny from Ardee gave birth Freddie after undergoing major surgery in St Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin, last August, creating history as he was the first baby ever born in the hospital.
Freddie was transferred to Holles Street Hospital where he faced many battles before being discharged home at 134 days.
As he was 14 weeks premature, Freddie was unable to breath for himself and was a ventilator/life support machine for 15 weeks.
‘As as a result of his extreme prematurity, he developed a disease called Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in which his bowel perforated and he needed urgent surgery in Crumlin,’ says Eimear.
She adds: ‘In total Freddie had a lot to overcome in his first six months of life as he also suffered three cardiac arrests, a brain haemorrhage, broken hip, sepsis twice, many respiratory arrests, celliulitus, and underwent laser eye surgery and heart surgery.’
Now Eimear, who studied at DkIT, and her partner Eoin Campbell from Tullyallen, are organising a major fund-raiser as a way of saying ‘ thank you’ to Holles Street for never giving up on their son.
They are hosting ‘A Walk an Hour for Premmie Power’ at Salterstown Pier on July 20th and 21st.
‘We aim to have 24 teams walking in a relay, continuously for 24 hours from 4pm on Friday July 20th to 4pm on Saturday July 21st,’ explains Eimear.
‘Each team will have a team leader and will have a minimum of 10 people on each team, but the more the merrier and we are planning to have a BBQ when the relay finishes on Saturday afternoon.’
Sponsorship cards are available by contacting 087-9510037 while donations can also be made on their Justgiving page.