Yahoo News ‘Buggy Buddies’ walk to help bring comfort to parents of poorly babies being cared for in Scunthorpe
A “Buggy Buddies” walk will get under way in Scunthorpe’s Central Park tomorrow (Tuesday, April 23) with a special goal in mind.
The event, meeting at the Rainbow Baby Garden at 10.30am, is the first get-together that families who have experienced the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) will have had since before the Covid-19 pandemic. Organiser Kerry Grimbleby, who works on the unit, said she did not know whether to expect “six or 600” to turn up.
Kerry said: “Before Covid, we used to do a reunion every year - everyone used to come who had had babies on NICU – and this will be the first one since then and we thought we’d take it outside and see how it does. I have literally no idea how many will come; it used to be huge.
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“We used to have people coming back with kids who are now in their 20s. I’m hoping we can start setting this back up again.”
Kerry said that the aim of the sponsored Buggy Buddies 5K walk was to raise funds to spruce up the family rooms on the unit, which provides specialist care for sick and/or premature newborns. The babies could be born locally or could be transferred from other areas including Grimsby, Hull, Leeds or Sheffield – even as far away as Luton – for care.
Kerry, who has worked in NICU for 22 years, said: “We have two bedrooms for parents that are so clinical. We’d like some new bedding, some throws, maybe a mural for the wall – even a washing machine as it’s too far for someone who has had a C-section to walk to the launderette – that sort of stuff.”
The walk will get under way at about 10.45am. There will also be a stall selling cakes and a raffle for anyone who would like to support the effort.
Anyone wanting more information or who would like to support the NICU fundraiser, but is unable to attend the Buggy Buddies walk, can email kerry.grimbleby@nhs.net
