Every Step for Everly
Hospital Mum Samantha is taking on the Glasgow Kiltwalk for Crosshouse Children's Fund in honour of the lifesaving care her daughter Everly received in NICU. This is their story in Samantha's words:
'A Bumpy Start'
'My daughter Everly had a bumpy start to life when she was born prematurely at 29 weeks on 23rd April 2023.'
'She was born with a rash all over her body and was immediately admitted to the Neonatal Unit at Ayrshire Maternity where it was confirmed she had a congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection.'
'It was daunting going into the neonatal unit for the first time, but the staff made me feel instantly at ease.'
sAMANTHA, EVERLY'S MUM
'When Everly wasn’t maintaining her platelets, the neonatal doctors worked tirelessly with the infectious diseases unit to find a match, which ultimately saved our girl's life.'
'We're so grateful to every single member of staff who was there to support not only Everly, but my older girls and myself too.'
Samantha, Everly's mum
'Every baby in the neonatal unit is loved and looked after by the staff like their own, and they quickly become like family.'
'They celebrate every high and always have a way of uplifting your mood even on the darkest of days.'
'I had my 30th birthday four days after Everly was born, and the nurses went to the trouble of making me a card and decorating her space for us, which was such a lovely surprise!'
'The staff became like our family.'
samantha, everly's mum
'During points when I had to leave the hospital, the neonatal nurses would send me updates and pictures of Everly via a messaging service called vCreate.'
'This was a huge comfort to me as it helped me stay connected to her when I needed to be at home with her sisters.'
'We are so thankful for the incredible support we received from Everly's NICU Aunties.'
SAMANTHA, EVERLY'S mUM
Getting Home
'After 66 days in the neonatal unit, Everly was finally discharged home on 27th June 2023!'
'Before we left the neonatal unit, I received thorough training from Everly's nurse on how to manage her oxygen tank so that I felt confident doing it myself at home.'
'We were also reassured that we could contact the ward directly if we needed any help.'
'We still attend regular check-ups and have started weaning Everly off of her oxygen which is going well.'
samantha, everly's mum
Christmas in Hospital
'In December, Everly became unwell with bronchiolitis and on Christmas Day, she was admitted to the children's wards at University Hospital Crosshouse.'
'It was tough spending Christmas in the hospital, but thankfully the staff on the children's wards were just as amazing as the neonatal nurses and doctors, and Everly soon recovered.'
Kiltwalk Heroes
In 2023, Samantha raised over £1,000 for the neonatal unit at Crosshouse by taking on the Edinburgh Kiltwalk.
'This year, myself, Everly and her big sister Lily are taking on the Big Stroll at the Glasgow Kiltwalk to raise even more funds for this amazing charity that helps babies and families like ours every day.'
'Thankfully I won’t need to carry Everly’s oxygen tank on my back this time!'
samantha, everly's mum
Join Our Team
You can walk alongside hospital families like Samantha's with one of our FREE charity Kiltwalk spaces!
Whether you're a seasoned Kiltwalker, or fancy a new walking challenge - it would mean the world to our hospital family to have you on our team.
Sign up now to a Kiltwalk near you: