On March 19th 2023, I plan to do a 1 day fundraising challenge in an effort to raise money for the Sligo Hospital Foetal Assessment Unit.

In early 2022, this unit got our family through the toughest 12 weeks we have ever had to face, as we were informed at gestation week 25 that we may never meet our unborn son due to extremely low fluid present around the infant, and that this was most likely the end of the pregnancy. There sadly had been no growth in baby's size for almost 3 weeks and no indication that babies condition would improve.

What followed this news was an almost daily visit to the Foetal Assessment Unit to check on baby to confirm a heartbeat and note weight gain/loss. We were completely lost as a family, not knowing if the person my wife could feel moving insider her would ever get a chance to experience life. Each check resulted in a tiny hope that things would be alright, growing each day. Thankfully, after a couple of weeks, the baby started to grow again, and the fluid began to increase. After week 30, our hopes grew ever stronger. By week 34, we were informed that baby will be delivered on week 37, no matter what his condition would be. These 12 weeks felt like eternity for us as we lived in hope.

On March 28th, our son Barra was born at a tiny size of 4lb 4oz. Despite his small size, he was perfectly formed healthy baby. He was kept in NICU for 2 weeks while he gained weight but he has had no long lasting issues to date, and is now a busy floor crawler around our home, playing with his big brother and sister at every opportunity.

The care our family received by Sligo Hospital Staff during this incredibly challenging time was truly something special, but more so, the team in the Foetal Assessment Unit got us through our darkest moments. They helped us keep the hope alive while still comforting us through the difficult knowledge of knowing that success was extremely unlikely.

In an effort to raise funds for this great unit, I plan to paddle for 12 hours during the spring equinox around Lough Melvin Lake. This challenge will see me paddling from Sunrise to Sunset, representing the 12 weeks of difficult times we faced as a family.

Any donations will be deeply appreciated.

Fundraiser for Foetal Assessment Unit Sligo University Hospital

Created by Bryan Fennell

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