Babies who are born prematurely or unwell are to benefit from new specialist equipment at Aberdeen’s neonatal unit, thanks to a £40,000 donation to The Archie Foundation from Apache Corporation.
The donation from the company’s bond committee – raised through the sale of confectionery and other items on its North Sea offshore installations in the Beryl and Forties fields - is the first major gift to Archie in the charity’s 25th anniversary year.
Callum Talbot, the premature baby who inspired the donation, will celebrate his 7th birthday tomorrow (January 25), coincidentally sharing his big day with Archie’s own birthday!
The funding will pay for a full Storz endoscope kit, which will allow medical staff to monitor and manage babies’ airways and provide the best possible outcome for little ones with breathing difficulties.
The new equipment will be used in the new Baird Family Hospital, currently being built on the Foresterhill site.
The Archie Foundation has committed to raising £2million to support the building, facilities and care at the new hospital, which will replace the existing Aberdeen Maternity Hospital and provide world-class fertility, maternity and neonatal care for local families.
Archie has partnered with NHS Grampian to raise money to help create the very latest facilities and services beyond what the NHS could achieve.
Oil and natural gas exploration and production company Apache Corporation is a long-standing and generous supporter of The Archie Foundation, which was nominated by staff to receive funding from its offshore bond committee in the UK.
Will Talbot, a cranes and lifting technical authority at Apache, nominated Archie as a thank you for the support he and his wife Michelle received after the early arrival of their son, Callum.
“Callum was a miracle baby for us after six years of IVF and a late miscarriage,” said Will. “He was born at 29 weeks and weighed only 3lb but we were just so happy he was finally here.”
Baby Callum spent seven weeks in the neonatal unit at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital before being allowed to go home with his mum and dad, who were able to use the parents’ facilities and free accommodation provided by The Archie Foundation.
“He was in an incubator in high dependency before being moved to special care once he got stronger. He received amazing care from the staff at the neonatal unit and we really appreciated the support we received, including a night in the parents’ accommodation,” said Will.
“When I saw the opportunity to nominate a charity to benefit from the bond committee donation I wanted to nominate Archie and we are so grateful it was chosen by my offshore colleagues.”
A fan of mountain biking and computer games, Callum will celebrate his birthday at a party with his friends this weekend.
Kelly M. Anderson, head of fundraising at The Archie Foundation, said the funding from Apache would make an incredible difference to babies and their families.
“This is a wonderful birthday gift for both Archie and Callum, which is going to make such an impact for babies and families within the neonatal unit. We are extremely grateful to the team at Apache Corporation for choosing Archie to benefit from the proceeds raised by the offshore workforce on Apache’s North Sea platforms,” she said.
“Archie works closely with NHS Grampian to ensure that the Baird Family Hospital will provide world class care and treatment at every point of contact for the babies and families of Aberdeen and north Scotland.
“We are particularly committed to supporting areas which are not currently available through NHS funding alone, such as very specialised equipment. We want to make sure that babies like Callum who are receiving care and treatment in Aberdeen will benefit from the most excellent and advanced facilities as possible.
“The Storz endoscope is an essential piece of kit for breathing and airway management for wee ones who may not be ready to breathe on their own, and it will help us to deliver the difference for these babies and their families.”
Every year, Aberdeen Maternity Hospital provides care for around 5,000 babies and their families, with around 850 being admitted to the neonatal unit. Not all are born prematurely, with complications such as jaundice or congenital conditions and low birth weight often resulting in a stay in the unit.
While some babies will only require a day or two of observation and support, around 75% of babies admitted to Aberdeen’s neonatal unit stay for more than 48 hours.
This can be incredibly challenging for the families of these babies, and The Archie Foundation provides support such as free accommodation to allow parents to stay within the hospital close to their baby, help with financial challenges associated with a longer stay in hospital, or sharing a special blanket for baby and a care package for parents.
Visit www.archie.org/getsupport/ for more information about the practical, financial and emotional support available from The Archie Foundation.