Austin Lucy

In November I’m Running for Premature Babies — For Our Little Fighter, Sebastian

On the 25th of September 2025, our beautiful baby boy Sebastian arrived — nearly 5 weeks early, at just 35 weeks and 2 days.

He needed immediate help in the NICU, surrounded by an incredible team and the kind of specialised equipment that keeps fragile little lives going. Now, we have returned home after a few further weeks in the Special Care Nursery, where he grew stronger every day — our tiny fighter showing us what resilience really looks like.

Watching him in those first days — hooked up to monitors, relying on machines to help him breathe, feed, and stay warm — was the most humbling and emotional experience of our lives. It made us realise how lucky we are to have access to such amazing care, and how many families rely on the life-saving work done by neonatal teams every single day.

That’s why this November, I’m taking on the Premmie Marathon Challenge, running 300 km throughout the month, finishing with a 100 km ultra on November 30.

For the ultra - I’ll be running at around 6:00 min/km pace, in five 2-hour blocks, so friends and family can join me for sections throughout the day. Every step, every kilometre, is for Sebastian — and for the thousands of premature babies like him who need specialised care and support to survive and thrive.

All funds raised go directly to Running for Premature Babies, helping to provide vital neonatal equipment — the same kind of equipment that helped keep our little boy safe when he needed it most.

If you’re able to donate, no matter how big or small, your support truly makes a difference.

You can also come run a few laps, cheer, or just share the page — it all helps.

From our family to yours — thank you for helping give premature babies a fighting chance.

With love and gratitude,

Austin, Gemma & baby Sebastian