Anonymous donation gets mum to £10k hospital target
A MOTHER of one has fulfilled her dream of raising £10,000 for Warwick Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU).
Lucy Field’s daughter Evie received life-saving treatment there when she was born in May 2016.
After her first-hand experience, Lucy felt that other families in a similar situation would benefit from additional furnishings, including chair beds that enable partners to stay overnight with new mums on Swan Ward.
As a result, she set herself the challenge of fundraising £10,000 in a year as a way of thanking the unit for everything they did for her and her daughter.
With the help of her close friend Nicki Scott, she hosted a number of events throughout 2017, including a coffee morning which raised over £5,000.
Other fundraising events included a Halloween party and breakfast with Santa.
After Christmas Lucy’s total was just over £9,000, and she reached her target thanks to an an anonymous donation. The donor left a message on the Just Giving page which read: 'You deserve to meet your target.
Lucy, who lives in Warwick, said: "I was so shocked when I saw an anonymous donation of £974.23 come through on my Just Giving page which took me to £10,000!
"It’s a cause that is so close to my heart, the staff are amazing and I hope that this money will make a difference to other parents in a similar situation.
“I was so pleased to have raised so much and never expected to get anywhere near my target."
Katrina Harris, SCBU Ward manager at South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are extremely grateful to Lucy and everyone that has supported her.
"This money will enable us to create more of a family friendly environment which will benefit local families at what is often a very difficult time.”
Lucy plans to continue her fundraising for maternity services at Warwick Hospital, with events already being organised. Contact the fundraising team on charity@swft.nhs.uk or call 01926 495321, extension 8049.