Teams pull together ‘In Memory of Maggie’

13 June 2012

A group of South East Coast Ambulance Service student paramedics are joining seven other teams in a charity ambulance pull in memory of a baby who sadly lost her fight for survival after being born prematurely.

Baby Maggie, daughter of Rich and Lauren Compton was born 15 weeks early at 24 weeks and five days at Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford and required 24-hour care after being transferred by SECAmb’s Neonatal Transfer Service to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey. Despite battling hard, Maggie very sadly passed away after 19 days.

Rich and Lauren decided they wanted to give something back to the hospital and help other parents who also go through the upset of having premature babies. The couple set up ‘In Memory of Maggie’ and organised the ambulance pull between Royal Surrey Hospital and St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey to raise money for Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals Early Births Fund.

The student paramedics who are studying at Surrey University and their fellow teams will take turns to relay pull the neo-natal transfer ambulance along the 12-mile route on Sunday 24 June.

Rich Compton said: “The Early Births Fund is very close to our hearts and although we did not have the opportunity to leave the hospital with our new born, we still had 19 very special days with our beautiful baby girl. It is thanks to the staff and the equipment at the hospital that this was made possible for us.

“It was through the quick organisation of the Neonatal Transfer Service that Maggie was conveyed to St Peter’s Hospital under their brilliant care where they are more equipped to deal with critically-ill babies. Services like this generally go unnoticed in everyday life until we really need them.

“The ambulance pull should be a fun and challenging event. It’s a somewhat ridiculous idea which has turned into a reality. We’d love people to come and cheer on the teams and really appreciate if people can dig deep and just give as much as they can. Every single penny really does make a huge difference to many little lives and to the lives of parents who go through the same as us. We’re also doing the Three Peaks Challenge in September and Lauren and her sister will be participating in the Great South Run in October.”

SECAmb’s student paramedic team consists of Josh Thornton, Marni Horton, Sam Dixon, Siwan Thomas, Helen Bedford, Sam Vickers, Rachel Fenn, Tyler White and Andy Piggott

Josh Thornton said: “When we heard about this local event we soon gathered enough names to form at team. It’s a cause we’re all really passionate about and we’re honoured to be involved and to be joining other members from the local community to raise money for the hospital’s Early Births Fund.”

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/inmemoryofmaggie or text IMOM99 followed by the amount you wish to donate to 70070. Alternatively cheques can be made payable to ASPH Charitable Fund (Child) and sent to St Peter’s Hospital with a covering note referencing ‘In Memory of Maggie.’

For more information please visit http://www.inmemoryofmaggie.org/