Irish soldiers almost 5,000 kilometres apart have joined together in a bid to raise money for the Neonatal Intensive Care Units in Coombe Women and Infants Hospital and University Maternity Hospital Limerick.
"Marching for the Maternities" was set up by Lieutenant Jonathan Hughes and Sergeant Eddie O'Brien and members across the Defence Forces are on board.
The fundraiser is in in conjunction with the Regeneron Great Limerick Run half marathon on May 1.
Officers and soldiers representing every corps and every barracks will complete the half marathon in uniform while wearing a chest rig and day sack, carrying 14 kg.
The 119 Infantry Battalion are based in Lebanon and will simultaneously participate in the fundraiser on May 1.
Lieutenant Jonathan Hughes told Dublin Live that himself and Sergeant O'Brien both had children who were born prematurely last year.
The pair travelled to Lebanon to serve with the 118 Infantry Battalion on the same day, October 1 , but three days later Sergeant O'Brien had to be urgently repatriated when his son Max was born 12 weeks early.
On October 24, Lieutenant Jonathan Hughes was also urgently repatriated when his daughter Daisy was born at 23 weeks and weighed just 460 grams.
Both babies received treatment between the NICU in Maternity Hospital Limerick and the Coombe.
Max moved through all levels of care and now been discharged from hospital.
Daisy is still receiving treatment in the Coombe and will be getting a bowel operation over the next couple of weeks.
Lieutenant Hughes said they are expecting she will be home from hospital before the half-marathon in May.
He said: "Daisy has faced several challenges and several difficulties but she continues to fight and fight.
"Before Christmas there was a difficult period when we were getting difficult news and didn't know what we'd be facing going into the next day.
"She's just incredible and she has amazed the doctors. They have told us she was possibly the smallest surviving baby born in Ireland last year.
"She has progressed incredibly over the last couple of weeks, she has come on leaps and bounds. It's like she has decided that 'I am done with the hospital and I want to go home'."
Lieutenant Hughes said that himself and Sergeant O'Brien organised the fundraiser to give back to the hospitals who cared for their children.
He said: "Without the care Daisy received in the hospitals, she might not be here.
"We know how lucky we are and since we've been in the Coombe, we've met several parents whose children unfortunately did not make it so we know how lucky we are to be in this position.
"The care that the hospitals give to the families during a difficult period is amazing and we just want to give back to both of those hospitals.
"They've made one of the hardest periods of our lives that bit more bearable."
Originally Lieutenant Hughes and Sergeant O'Brien were just going to do the half-marathon and fundraise for the hospitals themselves but they quickly received widespread support from colleagues and friends.
"We sent out text messages and within the space of a week we had 30 officers soldiers signed up from different units and barracks around the country."
The fundraiser officially launched just a week ago and over €7,000 has already been raised.
Lieutenant Hughes' ten year-old son Jack will be doing the Bon Secours hospital fun run in May with his cousin Robyn for Daisy and Max.
If you would like to make a donation to "Marching for Maternities" or want find out more information, click here.
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