Shannon Grono

This November I’m taking on the Premmie Marathon Challenge

I’ll be clocking up my kms in the Premmie Marathon Challenge to raise funds for life-saving neonatal equipment that will give critically ill and premature babies a better chance of survival.

In Australia, 1 in 10 babies are born prematurely, which equates to 26,000 babies every year. Many of these babies require Neonatal Intensive Care and access to specialised neonatal equipment. 

We have had family members born prematurely as early as 25 weeks gestation.

In May this year our beautiful twin girls  Scarlett and Adeline were born prematurely at 33 weeks and both required time in NICU and SCN. Our little girl Scarlett in particular required a lot of the equipment that Running for Premature Babies help raise critical funds for. 

Scarlett required CPAP at birth followed by high flow and also intubation when she had emergency surgery. She also required the use of a humidicrib,  light therapy, TPN (total parenteral nutrition) delivered through a PICC line (peripherally inserted central catheter) as well as NG and NJ tubes for feeding once able to. 

It truly is incredible that babies born early have such a fighting chance at survival due to such amazing equipment.  

I'd love your support - if you can, please make a generous tax-deductible donation here.

Fancy joining me? You can sign up for the Premmie Marathon Challenge too! Simply choose your challenge distance and start clocking your kms for premmie babies.