Father takes on skydive to raise money for Heartlands Neonatal Unit

 

Gary Williams will be taking on a tandem skydive from 15,000 feet later on this year to raise money for the Neonatal Unit who saved his daughter’s life.

Gary’s daughter, Molly, was born by emergency caesarean section at just 27 weeks old, weighing just 1lb 9oz at Heartlands Hospital on 14 March 2014.

Reflecting on Molly’s birth, Gary said: “Molly was delivered by caesarean due to complications, and we were unable to see her straight away as they had to work on her, and rush her to the neonatal unit.”

Molly’ mum, Hayley, said: “Seeing her for the first time was emotional and scary, yet happy at the same time. She had all these wires and tubes around her.”

Gary said: “It was love at first sight for both me and my wife. She was so small she would have fitted into my hand. We were unable to touch her at first due to how delicate her skin was.”

Molly spent the next three months being treated on the Neonatal Unit, which cares for 800 premature and poorly babies each year, battling for her life. Hayley said: “We celebrated every milestone that most parents took for granted, such as gaining an ounce of weight, being able to breathe more on her own, and being able to take on more formula.”

The family spent these early months praying together and hoping that little Molly would pull through, having been told by doctors that it would take a miracle for her to make it.

Before being able to go home, Molly was transferred to Good Hope Hospital before going home one week after her due date.

Gary said: “Without the amazing doctors, nurses and all the staff at Heartlands Neonatal Unit and Good Hope Hospital she wouldn’t be here today.”

Molly has had a number of health complications over her last five years, and had a couple of operations and hospital admissions, but continues to grow stronger and stronger.

To mark Molly’s fifth birthday, Gary wanted to do something to raise money for the unit that saved her life and decided to take on a tandem skydive with Heartlands Hospital Charity. He said: “Now is the time to start paying back and saying thanks to the amazing Neonatal Unit for everything that they have done, making my girl as healthy as possible.”

Sian Averill, Fundraising Manager for Heartlands Hospital, said: “It is wonderful that Gary is raising money for the Neonatal Unit following the amazing care that Molly received on the unit.

“The Charity raises money to buy ‘added extras’ for the unit that are over and above that which the NHS is able to fund. The Charity has just launched a new fundraising appeal to fund seven new state-of-the-art incubators that will help to save more little lives just like Molly.

“It is thanks to fundraisers like Gary that we will be able to help make the Neonatal Unit a world-leading department.”

Gary will be taking to the skies at the Hinton Airfield in Oxfordshire on 22 June 2019, and you can sponsor his efforts here.

Gary and Molly, shortly after her birth.

Little Molly was treated on the Neonatal Unit at Heartlands Hospital

Molly, pictured recently on the way to school

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