This post is a little different to my usual posts. I'm not sharing pictures, I'm going to share a story, and ask you all for a little help.
The story starts just over 11 years ago, when my son was born. Cas was born early, 7 1/2 weeks early to be exact. He was a tiny little thing, weighing 4 lb 5 oz and 18 inches long. He spent three weeks in neo-natal intensive care. He was on a monitor, and regularly forgot to breathe. Premie's brains aren't fully developed, and since they're not supposed to be breathing yet, they need to be stimulated. Cas was given a daily dose of caffeine. He was pretty healthy for a premie, but let me tell you, watching your child stop breathing, waiting for them to start again. Hearing the alarms, and still having to wait (the nurses wanted us to leave him, because premies often start breathing again on their own). Holding your tiny baby in your arms, and willing him to breathe: IT DOESN'T GET SCARIER THAN THAT.
Cas had very few complications, he had a little jaundice, and was small. But he was mostly healthy, and he was a fighter. We brought him home a few weeks after he was born. When we got home he was just 5lbs. He was still tiny, but he was jaundice free, and healthy.
This story is one of many. While Cas was in the hospital, there were many others in his situation and many that were sicker than him. Friends and family have since had experiences of babies needing extra help, which is what brought home to me how much I want to do what I'm about to ask for your help with.
A few years ago, after buying my camera, I came across this website. At the time I thought my photography skills were not up to scratch. But this last year, I have been mulling over the idea more and more. As a parent who has been in NICU (or SCBU) I know how hard it can be. But I also know how many special and treasured moments there are there. The first time you hold your baby, the first time they look in your eyes. I have snapshots of Cas's first few weeks of life, and I treasure those photos. Though the situation was painful, and still is sometimes when I think about it. That is the story of my son's start to life, and those pictures document it.
So, here's what I want to do. I want to offer a service, pretty much like the Pictures of Hope Foundation do. A photography service that offers a free photo-shoot and a CD with images to ANY parent who has a child in the Special Care Baby Unit (or neo-natal intensive care). I want to help those families document those first days of their premies life, or those families whose babies are sick and need help. I want to give them something that will help them remember how amazing and SPECIAL their little ones are.
And this is where you come in. I have attempted to contact local hospitals, but have had no luck. I am assuming it's because I'm not getting through to the right people. So, wonderful internet people, do any of you have any type of link with Hospitals in the Lancashire area? If you do, please get in touch with me at Urbantangerinephoto@gmail.com
Thank-you in advance.
Happy Friday!
C
xxx
