100-mile ride for Bliss baby charity
Friends raise £900 and rising for sick and premature babies
A TEAM of friends have completed a cycling challenge to raise funds and awareness for a charity close to their hearts.
Kayley Langdon, Louise Rance and Andrea Thorogood, from Thatcham, and Heather Butler from Newbury, cycled more than 100 miles in July for Bliss Charity.
Bliss supports families with sick babies and champions the best care for premature babies by campaigning for change and enabling life-changing research.
The group know each other through Thatcham Rugby Club.
Mrs Thorogood, Mrs Rance and Mrs Langdon had babies born prematurely, from 25 weeks to 35 weeks.
The friends also know several other families with premature babies.
Mrs Thorogood said they had chosen the 100-mile challenge as Mrs Rance and Mrs Langdon, as well as many other parents, have to travel close to a 100-mile round trip to see their babies born in neonatal intensive care at
Southampton.
On average parents travel 27 miles to visit their premature or sick baby in neonatal care.
Mrs Thorogood said: “It went really well.
“We did lots of different bike rides, big hill climbs and things like that.
“It was a good challenge to raise money for Bliss.
“Raising awareness about this charity will hopefully help to provide families in similar situations with the help that they need in a time when it can all feel pretty scary.
“I was expecting twins and was told the risk of premature birth was high so used Bliss to help prepare me.
“For two of the team and for many new parents out there, premature labour was unexpected.
“Knowing that there is support out there can have a massive impact on a family’s mental wellbeing, in a time that should be joyous but can be incredibly uncertain and difficult.”
Access to neonatal units
is currently restricted because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Mrs Thorogood said: “There are lots of children who have been born in this time and people have to struggle with that.
“Only one parent can go in at a time, that’s why at this time it’s important to help those families even more.”
Mrs Langdon said: “Some parents aren’t able to be with their baby at all and for others the daily costs of travel to hospital and the challenge of finding childcare for older children come at a time when many families are facing job insecurity.
“Bliss know that babies have the best outcomes if their parents are able to be actively involved in their care.
“We wanted to raise awareness and funds to help support Bliss in continuing their help to those families in need.”
The team has raised £905 of its £500 target, with donations still coming in.
Donations can be made at https://www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/kayley-langdon