Worksop dad raises £3,000 for Bassetlaw Hospital after baby girl born premature

Mike Condon, 38, desperate to give something back to hospital staff who cared for his baby girl, wrote a children’s book - donating the profits to the special care baby unit (SCBU).

In the run up to Christmas Mike and wife Kelly launched an appeal in which businesses pledged to purchasing batches of the books to be wrapped and given to disadvantaged children across the region.

Several Bassetlaw councillors contributed £1,000 to the appeal using community grants – allowing 166 books to be given to children’s services across the district.

Graphic designer Mike - who had originally hoped to sell 250 books - has now closed the fundraising appeal after smashing his target by selling 600 and raising £3,000.

He said: “I was extremely nervous when I got them delivered in three boxes that I wouldn’t be able to sell them but they went in just over a week – which was amazing.

“And it was great to be able to provide books for disadvantaged children.”

Mike’s fundraising came after his daughter Willow was delivered by emergency caesarean section when doctors discovered she had an irregular heartbeat in the summer of 2018.

After her birth medics at the Doncaster hospital’s SCBU rushed to give the newborn a transfusion as the infant had not received sufficient blood in the womb.

Willow spent the next three weeks in hospital for monitoring and tests before she could go home.

She is now a happy and healthy 18-month-old however Mike admitted her birth was an ‘extremely stressful’ time.

He said: “It was during the blistering weather in 2018 when Kelly noticed the baby wasn’t moving much.

“We thought she may have just been a little tired like us due to the weather but we went in for routine checks - which was when we were told she had an irregular heartbeat.

“After keeping Kelly in overnight they discovered the baby wasn’t getting enough blood from the placenta and decided to do an emergency C section.”

“Not all hospitals have a special unit like Bassetlaw and we wanted to do something to show how grateful we are for all the staff.

“They gave us a lot of support and advice so we were more prepared for when we were finally able to take her home.”

Kelly said: “We never expected to have a premature baby and I didn’t even know that facility existed before.

“Not only did they help Willow, but they helped us cope with what we were going through.”

Speaking about the Christmas book appeal Bassetlaw councillor Julie Leigh said: “It was a pleasure to come together to generate the money to allow this worthwhile cause to be supported.

“The Special Baby Care Unit at Bassetlaw Hospital do a wonderful job and we hope this money makes a difference to the staff and the children they care for.”