A Critical Care Nurse at Doncaster Royal Infirmary is preparing to climb Mount Snowdon at night to raise funds for a cold cot, a device that allows families to spend precious extra time with their babies after a loss. Maura Stevenson, a Sister in the Department of Critical Care, has worked at the Trust for over 26 years and is taking on the challenge for DBTH Charity.
Personal tragedy inspires fundraising
Before becoming a nurse, Maura experienced the devastating loss of two children. Her daughter Danica passed away at just 24 hours old in 1995, and her son Sam died at five days old three years later, both at Chesterfield Royal Hospital. She recalls the limited time she had with them due to the absence of cold cots at the time.
“It was an incredibly difficult time for me, but the support I received from the nursing teams who cared for me was invaluable and ultimately inspired me to consider a career in nursing,” she said. “When I had my babies, I couldn’t spend much time with them, as there was no such thing as a cold cot. So often I’ve wished I’d had a little longer to hold them, talk to them, and share those moments with family members who didn't have the chance to meet them.”
A challenging climb for a meaningful cause
Maura has previously taken on fundraising walks, including a 20-mile walk in Bakewell for Breast Cancer Now and a walk from Sheffield to Doncaster for Firefly, a charity providing free transport for cancer patients. For her latest challenge, she chose Mount Snowdon. “I wanted to do something a little different from walking. I thought, what could be better than climbing Snowdon at night to watch the beautiful Welsh sunrise?” she explained.
She is raising funds for DBTH Charity because of her love for her job and the support she has received from the Trust. “There is no greater pain than losing a child. Helping families have the time they need with their babies is so important to me. I just want to show my gratitude to everyone who has helped me and give something back in memory of my little ones,” she added.
Hope and gratitude
In 2002, Maura gave birth to her son Billy at Bassetlaw Hospital. Born with serious health issues, Billy received specialist paediatric care and is now a healthy 23-year-old. Maura credits the teams who supported him, saying, “Thank you will never be enough.”
Maura has set an initial fundraising target of £750 and hopes to raise enough to purchase a cold cot before winter, with each cot costing around £1,500. To support her fundraising for DBTH Charity, visit her JustGiving page.
