Call the midwives – raising funds for TinyLife

Six midwives from the Northern Health and Social Care Trust’s Antrim Area Hospital, aim to become champions of ‘Operation Lipstick 2013’. The one day, ladies only adventure event is due to be held on Saturday 20th April 2013 in the Castlewellan Forest Park. The event will raise funds for TinyLife, Northern Ireland’s Premature Baby Charity.

Valerie Cromie, fundraising manager for TinyLife says, “This will be the third year of Operation Lipstick, last year we enjoyed a tremendous turnout raising over £18,000 for TinyLife. ‘Operation Lipstick 2013’ will capture all of the fun of last year and will have a few added twists to keep the event interesting and help us celebrate our 25th Anniversary. The event is suitable for all ages and of all abilities. Tasks will include orienteering, archery, climbing wall, raft building and racing. Participants will also undertake some mental challenges and may face the ‘sin bin’ if the tasks aren’t completed in the set time. ‘Operation Lipstick 2013’ promises to be a great day out. Each team member is asked to raise a minimum of £100. All funds raised will benefit TinyLife, the premature baby charity for Northern Ireland.”

Every day in Northern Ireland 7 babies are born prematurely, some will arrive as early as 24 weeks and weigh as little as 1lb and over half of these babies will spend time in a neonatal unit. The birth of a premature or sick baby is an extremely stressful time for parents. TinyLife offers practical and emotional support to these parents through our family support and breast pump loan programmes, education and research programmes.

Midwives are at the forefront when premature birth occurs and work closely with the parents and with neonatal staff. Midwife Helen Stevenson said, “As well as having that professional attachment to the charity, myself and Jackie have experienced premature birth also. Jackie had premature twin boys five weeks early and I had a baby boy who was 13 and half weeks premature, weighing just 1lb 13 oz.

24th March 2013