Family says thank you by fundraising for neonatal unit

15 February 2018

Eight-month-old twin sisters Tali and Nina Owen-Tranter were born eight weeks prematurely weighing around 3lbs each.

It meant that they needed specialist care in the neonatal unit at Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford, where they spent a month before finally being allowed to go home after more than doubling their birth weight.

The youngsters’ parents Mary Owen and Ian Tranter, of Wellington, said they are incredibly grateful for the care they all received at the unit, and decided to fundraise, raising more than £100 wrapping dozens and dozens of Christmas presents over the festive period.

Mary said: “The girls were born eight weeks prematurely on June 6 last year – Tali weighed 2lbs 14ozs and Nina weighed 3lbs 6ozs. The staff in the neonatal unit were phenomenal. They were so encouraging and the care that they showed all of us was fantastic.”

The girls were allowed home after spending four weeks in the unit in the Shropshire Women and Children’s Centre – both weighing around 6lbs.

“The girls are now eight-months-old and they are doing so well. They have both been brilliant, and are such happy babies,” said Mary.

Ian added: “The staff in the unit did such a fantastic job, so when we got the opportunity to fundraise to say thank you that’s what we did. We wrapped presents in return for a donation, and were well supported by our family and friends. We raised £104 in total. We are not stopping there though and plan to continue to fundraise throughout the year.”

Sam Davies, Neonatal Unit Manager at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust which runs the PRH, said: “We would like to thank Mary and Ian for their fantastic efforts in fundraising for us – and we will make sure that their kind donation is put to very good use. It is absolutely wonderful to see the girls doing so well.”