A MUM-OF-FOUR will pound the pavements to raise cash for the ward that saved her three daughters.
Lindsey Stevens, 28, is running the Reading Half Marathon with 31-year-old husband John for Babies In Buscot Support (BIBS), a charity which helps the Royal Berkshire Hospital’s specialist neonatal Buscot Ward.
The couple got to know about the work the ward does when both their sets of twins were born prematurely and spent months in the unit. They will be joined on the 13.1mile course by Lindsey’s
sister Kelly Cooper and mum Mary Baggott.
Lindsey, from Tilehurst, said: “I am quite nervous about it – we all are. But it is all about raising as much awareness and support for the ward as we can.”
The couple, who were childhood sweethearts, had their eldest son Jonjo in 2006, but their delight at the prospect of twins turned to anguish in August 2007 when Lindsey went into labour 16 weeks early. Vinnie was born first, followed by Daisy, who was still in her amniotic sack. Both were rushed to the Buscot Ward for premature babies and hooked up to incubators.
But despite making good progress, Vinnie suddenly developed necrotising enterocolitis – tissue death in the bowel – and died on September 11. Daisy spent the next three months in the ward, but on Christmas Day she was finally well enough to be taken home.
The couple’s second set of twins, Magnolia and Violet, were also treated on the ward after being born in 2009 at 34 weeks.
Lindsey said: “We feel truly blessed. I cannot put into words the emotional roller coaster that we went through or express how grateful we are to the Buscot Team for saving our daughters.”
The family is part of a team of 19 ‘Buscoteers’ competing to raise £9,000 for BIBS to buy new water-mattresses for the ward. To donate visit www.justgiving.com/BIBR or text BIBR99 £10 to 70070
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