Family's fundraising a 'dip in the ocean' compared to their thanks for neonatal staff

Giving birth for the first time must surely rank as one of life’s best moments but having to wait five days before being able to hold your child is probably one of the hardest.

That’s exactly what new mum Nia Thomas had to endure when tiny Noa arrived in the world on November 12th, 2024, followed by an anxious 109-day hospital stay, including 86 days spent in Singleton Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Having being born prematurely (at 29 weeks), and with underdeveloped lungs, Noa required intensive care while all his parents could do was watch and put their faith in the dedicated staff working tirelessly to save their son’s life.

Happily, Noa responded to treatment and is now at home in Pembroke, progressing nicely.

Sharing their story Nia said: “As soon as he was born, he was rushed to NICU and put on a ventilator straight away because his lungs were underdeveloped.

“He needed a blood transfusion within the first few hours, and he needed nitric gas as well to help get him stable. 

Left: Nia and James with Noa in NICU

“One of the doctors came to see us to say that he wasn’t that great and not in a good way, so to give him a few hours until he was in a better position for us to see him. 

“It was around 5pm that evening when we were able to see him for the first time. It was a bit of a shock; you don’t prepare yourself for it really. 

“He was in the incubator, with a line through his stomach, and he had jaundice as well. 

“We had an idea of how it was going to be but that didn’t prepare us – it was heart-breaking. It wasn’t the image that you think it’s going to be when you have a baby.”

Weighing just 2 lbs 5 ounces the only contact Nia and her partner, James, had with Noa over those first five days was being able to hold his hand through the incubator. 

Then came an incredible moment.

Nia said: “On day five he was off the ventilator and the lines came out so we were able to have skin on skin for the first time. 

“It was amazing.”

The family’s ordeal was far from over, however, with Noa being diagnosed with chronic lung disease and requiring around the clock care.

Fortunately, they were in the right place.

Nia said: “The staff were incredible. They just become like family and your best friends.

“Noa had a one-to-one nurse 12 hours a day, and then they change over and he had another one-to-one nurse over night for 12 hours. 

“In the early days we used to come here at 6am in the morning and wouldn’t leave until 2am in the morning. You would be here a long time, and the nurse would stay with you in the bay.

“You form a bond. They help you have that confidence. It’s strange being new parents anyway, this is our first baby, but it’s especially strange having a baby so premature – he was so small we were so frightened at the start how to handle him. 

“He had different wires going into him, he was on different monitors, he had different cannulas for different infections. They give you that confidence to be able to handle your own baby, which is nice.

“Emotionally, you have that support. If you are having a down day, you have each other, 
like me and my partner, but if you are both struggling you have the support of the doctors and nurses.”

There was further support for the family in the form of a place to stay to avoid the commute from Pembroke – a home away from home,

Nia said: “We had accommodation opposite in Cwtsh Clos, which was amazing. I don’t know what we would have done without that.

“It gave you that base to be able to come and go as and when you needed to. 

“Another amazing thing about the unit is they give you food vouchers. We had free food here in the canteen. It enabled us to be away from home and far away from home. To be able to survive and eat.

“He was born in November and we spent Christmas and New Year in the hospital, so family were able to come and visit us as well. 

“Unfortunately, they had to shut the unit to visitors for a month because of a flu outbreak so having the house helped us massively because family could come to see us there. Without that, we wouldn’t have seen anybody.”

Now, to say thank you, the family has raised an incredible £5,623 for NICU and its staff in the hope the money will help future families yet to need its expert care.

Nia said: “We could see that some families had done some fundraising and we said, quite early on, that we would love to be able to give something back.

“Then my brother Lloyd approached us one day, he’d seen the incredible work they had done for his nephew and our son, and he came up with the idea to do the Boxing Day swim in Tenby and the New Year’s Day swim in Saundersfoot to raise money. He said he would dress up as a baby to run into the sea in the winter.

“It was a small idea but family and friends got behind the cause. We posted it online on our social media pages and it just took off.”

Lloyd Thomas said: “I used to come and visit from the moment Noa was born. Seeing how well he progressed and what the staff were doing for him was phenomenal. 

“I was going home thinking, what can I do to help? That’s when I had the idea. It was something small, just a dip in the sea but obviously people fundraise for that. 

“I set up a JustGiving page and with the help of family and social media it just erupted. It went from over £1,000 in the first night to more than £5,600.

“It was just amazing.

“I wanted to give back and I know this money will go to help other people and families who are going to be in that situation.” 

NICU’s interim matron, Rhiannon Jago, said: “We are extremely grateful to Nia and her family for raising an incredible amount of money for the unit, diolch! 

“Having a baby on the neonatal unit is an extremely challenging and emotional time, donations like this contribute and make a big difference to our babies and families. 

“We look forward to working with Nia and the family to decide how to spend the donation. 

“It was incredibly special to see Noa when he returned and it wonderful to see how well he is thriving at home.”

Lewis Bradley, Swansea Bay Health Charity’s support manager added: “We’re incredibly grateful to Nia for sharing her story with us and coming back to say ‘Thank you’. 

“In addition, we would also like to thank her family and friends who have taken the time fundraise over the Christmas period, and to give back to NICU. 

“The support for NICU is cherished and we will make sure to work with the ward to use the donation in the best possible way for future patients who may need to use the ward.”

Main picture caption. From left to right Nibras Yaseen (Medical Staff), Jamie Evans-Neonatal (Consultant), Lloyd Thomas, Kaleigh Thomas (Senior Staff Nurse), Rhiannon Jago (Interim Matron), Jess Beynon-Practise Development Nurse, Lisa Harris-Ward Manager with Niam Noa and James in front of cheque.