New Life Special Care Babies, a charity dedicated to supporting premature babies and their families, celebrated World Prematurity Day with their annual World Prematurity Ball on Saturday 16th November. The event, which was held at The Owners Club in Newbury Racecourse, was a sell-out with 180 guests in attendance. Among the guests were regular supporters, fundraisers, and neonatal staff from The Royal Berks Hospital in Reading and The Great Western Hospital in Swindon. The event also saw a delightful surprise appearance from Denise van Outen.
The World Prematurity Ball raised an incredible £40,000, surpassing last year’s total. The funds were raised through ticket sales, a live auction hosted by comedian Aaron James, a silent auction, and a raffle. One of the most popular auction items was a set of four tickets to see Oasis, which raised an astonishing £10,000.
Dr Sarah Bates, Consultant Paediatrician & Neonatologist at GWH Swindon, gave a moving presentation on the impact that New Life has had on reducing preterm mortality in premature babies. This is largely due to the state-of-the-art equipment that the charity has funded over the years, with a total of £650,000 raised to date.
The money raised at the World Prematurity Ball will go towards funding a new ventilator for The Royal Berks Hospital and equipment for the Transitional Care Unit at The Great Western Hospital. This will help ensure that premature babies receive the best possible care and support during their crucial early days.
New Life Special Care Babies is dedicated to improving the lives of premature babies and their families. With the success of the World Prematurity Ball, the charity is one step closer to achieving their goal. For more information on New Life and how you can support their cause, please visit https://pressat.co.uk/
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.