Army of support for two babies: proud dads novel fundraiser

A Killaloe baby who entered the world twelve weeks before he was due - a tiny bundle weighing just 2lbs 7 zs - has inspired an entire platoon of soldiers to go through agony to raise funds for the hospital where he was delivered and nursed to full health.

Thanks to the skills of nurses and doctors at the neonatal intensive care unit at University Maternity Hospital Limerick, Max O' Brien from Newtown, Killaloe, survived a precarious early arrival and is now a healthy and happy five-month-old.

Delighted and appreciative of the way Max, his first child, was cared for, dad, Eddie (32), an Army Sergeant stationed at Sarsfield Barracks, Limerick, has decided to sign up to run the Great Limerick Half Marathon on May 1 to raise funds for the purchase of vital equipment for the neonatal unit.

But unlike the vast majority of entrants who will take on the 13.5 mile distance wearing light runners, a shorts and a T-shirt, Eddie will attempt to complete the mammoth run in his full operational army uniform, complete with heavy black boots, and wearing his chest rig and day bag on his back - “14 kilograms or 30lbs of stuff”, as Eddie says.

Moreover, the circumstances of Max's birth and the expert medical care he subsequently received has inspired Eddie's entire platoon of roughly 40 soldiers stationed in Limerick to do likewise and join him for what is truly a daunting challenge.

Indeed, the heartening story of how this little baby boy was successfully nursed through such a vulnerable period has reached the Irish Peacekeeping troops in Lebanon, prompting them, too, to stage a similar run thousands of miles away on the same day as part of the fundraising efforts.

IN LEBANON

It was while serving a term of peacekeeping duties in Lebanon that Eddie, a son of Pat and Marilyn O' Brien of Ballina, learned of the shocking news that his son was about to prematurely announce himself to the world back home in Killaloe.

“It was September last year when I was stationed in an outpost away from the main Irish camp on the Lebanese-Israeli border,” Eddie recalls.

“Just the day before I had been talking on the phone to my partner Sarah and we had been discussing how unreal it was that we were going to be a mum and dad in twelve weeks time.

“But then just 24 hours later I got a message on my phone saying the baby was coming now and to try and get home. When I rang Sarah she was already in the maternity hospital about to give birth to Max.

“That was at half past three in the morning and I called my boss who was based in our Defence Force's main camp in Lebanon and she immediately arranged a convoy to get me to Beirut Airport to get home straight away.

“By the time I reached Beirut Max was born,” revealed Eddie, who said the Army pulled out all the stops to get him home.

LITTLE DAISY

Max, who was born on October 1 last year, is now doing “perfectly”, said Eddie, who went on to reveal how another father-to-be serving the same term of peacekeeping duties in Lebanon had a similar harrowing experience just a few weeks later.

Lieutenant Johathan Hughes (38) from Limerick City was flown back to Ireland after his partner Catherine gave birth to their second child, Daisy, on October 24 last year. She weighed in at just 1 lb after she was born 17 weeks before she was due.

Yet despite her tiny size, Daisy, just like Max, has also proved to be a fighter and has overcome two bouts of sepsis, bowel infections and two bowel surgeries.

Daisy was first treated in the neonational intensive care unit in Limerick before being transferred for more specialist treatment to a similar facility in the Coombe Maternity Hospital in Dublin.

She has so far spent around 150 days in hospital but is doing well and is now “on the home stretch” towards recovery.

Daisy's dad will be joining Eddie and the the other soldiers on their half marathon run on May 1, and monies raised will be divided evenly between the two specialist care facilities in the hospitals in Limerick and Dublin.

All the soldiers taking part in the run in Limerick are now hoping that Daisy will be well enough to be at the finish line with baby Max to greet them when they complete their run in just a month from now. Those soldiers taking part in Lebanon will be hoping for a similar virtual experience when they cross the line.

Said Eddie: “We are not the first parents who have faced these challenges, and we will not be the last. We wish to use the most difficult period of our lives as an opportunity to provide hope and support to families who will face these challenges in the future.”

He added: “As for our own babies, Max and Daisy, myself and Jonathan are delighted to say that we now have an army of support behind them.”

FUNDRAISER DETAILS

‘Marching for the Maternities’ is the title of the initiative being undertaken by the soldiers and if you would like to contribute you can do so by visiting the following link:

https://eventmaster.ie/fundraising/pages/JH74658515