Heart-warming video raises awareness on World Prematurity Day

On World Prematurity Day on the 17th of November, the Ickle Pickles Children’s charity celebrates families that have made it through difficult periods with their premature babies who are now thriving. With over 90,000 babies born premature or sick in the UK every year, the Ickle Pickles launched a new video to raise awareness of prematurity and donations for much-needed equipment at neonatal units across the country.

The powerful and moving video entitled ‘10 Ickle Moments to Melt Your Heart’ shows clips of 10 babies, the last of which shows a premature baby in an incubator, highlighting that 1 in 10 babies worldwide is born prematurely. Seven of the babies in the video were born prematurely but have all since thrived thanks to specialised neonatal care. 

In the UK, eight out of 100 babies are born prematurely and an estimated 60,000 babies are born early (before 37 full weeks of pregnancy) each year.

Ickle Pickles is the only charity that raises funds to donate intensive and special-care equipment to neonatal units across England and Wales to give every newborn a chance. Since 2009, the charity has raised over £3 million for intensive and special care equipment. They provide new equipment for neonatal units and upgrade facilities to support parents and neonatal staff to make a big difference to the treatment of small babies.

Rachael Marsh, co-founder of Ickle Pickles, commented: “This video underscores the scale of prematurity and why vital neonatal equipment is essential to save lives and support families. With NHS budgets under extreme scrutiny and pressure, the unfortunate reality is that all neonatal units in the UK have a list of kit they urgently need. We work closely with local communities and neonatal units to find tailored fundraising solutions and donate funds for the equipment that they most urgently need.”

Husband and wife, Andy and Rachael set up the charity after their son Charlie was born at 28 weeks gestation and was in a neonatal unit for three months. Their Ickle Pickle inspired the charity’s fundraising efforts to help babies who require specialised care when they are born.

Andy added: “Raising awareness of neonatal care is a subject close to our hearts at the Ickle Pickles. Our mission is to give every newborn a chance by working nationally whilst delivering tangible localised benefits for parents, neonatal units and communities.”

Neonatal equipment is essential to save lives and support families. Donate to fund life-saving equipment at your local neonatal unit: https://theicklepickles.enthuse.com/

Join Ickle Pickles' mission to give every newborn a chance and share the video to raise awareness on #WorldPrematurityDay.

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