A Nottinghamshire mum who had two premature babies - one of whom was hospitalised with meningitis - is now supporting neonatal wards across the East Midlands after learning from her own experiences. Sarah Massey, 38, of Balderton, decided to find a way to help those in neonatal wards after she spent a lot of time in hospital with her two children who were born early.
She creates and donates special bags - named after her son Ciarán - to help parents and their newborn. The bags include a variety of important items, including toiletries, blankets and teddies.
Sarah said: "I had two premature babies. I had Molly, who is 10 now, at 28 weeks and she spent a lot of time at the neonatal unit in Queen's Medical Centre. For her first sort of three years she was in and out all the time in different units and children's wards.
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"Then I had Ciarán, who is three-and-a-half now. I had him at 34 weeks so I was in the neonatal unit again. I was only in it for a little bit with him, but then he ended up back a week later as he had sepsis, Group B strep and meningitis so I ended up in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).
"I spent time there and in other children's wards, and then he ended up at nine months back in PICU as he had coronavirus, so I spent a lot of time in the hospital. I just wanted to try and give back as I have been a parent who has been in those units and gone through all that stuff. I felt that if someone had handed me a bag with all these bits in, it just would have been amazing."
Sarah explained that when she went into labour with Molly she was working as a healthcare assistant at Queen's Medical Centre and was on the nightshift in the trauma ward. She said: "I was literally 27 weeks pregnant and I had nothing."
Sarah said she was 'whisked' downstairs and thrown into the unknown after they had to delay her labour for a day and she later needed an emergency C-section. She hopes that these bags can provide comfort to families in similar situations and help them with their experience in the units.
Around a year-and-a-half ago, Sarah started Ciarán’s Cupboard to help families going through similar experiences in the wards. She created a pre-loved business where she sells second hand clothes and items for babies and children, and the profits made from the business funds Ciarán bags. She said: "It was lockdown and I was sorting through different things and clothes, and as Ciarán spent his first sort of year in hospital I just had so much stuff that was never used.
"I thought I might try and sell it, and then I decided to make it into a business and thought this is a way I can make profits and make the bags." The bags created and donated by Sarah include a range of items to help the parents and the baby, such as toiletries, water bottles, mugs, bonding squares, blankets, teddies and books.
Sarah added: "I put a swaddle in as well. I have my own swaddles that I sell on the website, so for every one of those bought, one goes into a bag as well." She felt it was important for parents to have keepsakes for once they can bring their baby home, but also items to help make their stay in hospital easier.
Sarah explained: "There were times I was sitting there with a plastic cup of water or measly bit of toothpaste and you just needed something, and with Covid people couldn't get in, you couldn't get any stuff, you haven't got any family around. From my own experience I would have loved the bag."
When asked how it feels to know she is supporting families, she said: "It feels amazing. It is one of the biggest joys when I get a message from someone saying I got one of your bags and it meant so much.
"It's so nice just being able to help as it is such a horrible situation to be in. It is one of the worst things I ever went through and you are sitting there and you are helpless. It's lonely - and just to know someone else is thinking of you helps.
"I'm so passionate about it and I just want every unit to have them." Currently Sarah provides Ciarán bags to neonatal units at Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham City Hospital and King's Mill Hospital in Nottinghamshire, but she also sends them to other hospitals across the East Midlands, such as Lincoln, Derby, Hull, Burton and Kettering.
The bags are given to the parents when they are admitted on to the unit, and Sarah hopes to start including a helpful list of contacts with there being a large community of support being available. She said: "There is such a big community now to help people and talk, much more than there was 10 years ago."
More than 100 Ciarán bags have so far been donated to different units across the East Midlands. Sarah said: "It's really difficult because these bags cost about £15 to £20 a bag so it is all on money. I try and raise it on orders, fundraising and donations, and I try and do 20 bags at a time.
"I got 20 into Queen's Medical Centre and 20 into City Hospital at the start of September, and I have another 20 ready to go now for PICU which are being made in memory of a little girl who sadly passed away on PICU. I would love to be able to get them in weekly, but it's just money.
"I have been trying to go to businesses and get sponsorships and partnerships, people to work with to try and build i, as it is just me and I do it all by myself, and there is a lot to juggle, sort and do. The idea is to make it into a charity and make it really big and get more people on board."
A spokesperson for Nottingham University Hospitals Trust said: “We welcome and receive bags for parents like this and know they make a massive difference to mums and dads who unexpectedly have a baby needing neonatal care. Parents comment on the relief of having personal bags with gifts they can use to refresh with and feel cared for.
"They value the thought and understanding that has gone into preparing the bags, which recognises the challenges they face, and making their initial stay welcoming and so much easier. We’d like to thank Sarah for such a kind and generous act, which enables parents and carers receive personal belongings that have been thought about and reflect understanding of their situation and circumstances.”
When asked what her children think about the bags, Sarah said: "They love it and they know all about the bags and why I do it, especially Molly being older. She helps do the cards and packing off the bags. It’s lovely."
At the moment Sarah funds the bags through selling items on the website and many families donate clothing and items for her to sell, but she also has a fundraising page people can donate directly to. She added: "I'm in talks with hospitals in Belfast as well at the minute as I'm from Ireland originally so I would love if I could get this over to Ireland as well. I have high dreams."
Sarah hosted a Christmas fair in November to raise funds, but most of her fundraising is done through social media, which she describes as having a really 'supportive' neonatal unit where everyone helps everyone. She said: "It's so nice - and it's made me want to do more as well."
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