The newborn unit has become our home for the next 52 days – the ambitious “Limrick” donations are the ambition

One of the spouses in Limerick collects money to donate children’s books with a newborn unit at Motherhood Hospital (UMHL), following the beginning of the difficult life of their daughter.

Darren and Leza McCaladin, who live in Dromena, Abbeyfeale, collected more than 2,500 euros since a Gofundment A page to raise funds for parents and “young warriors” who are forced to spend time in the unit of newborns UMHL, just as they were with Sophie.

Born six weeks before Christmas last year, Sophie spent a total of 52 days in the unit before they finally could bring her home in February 2025.

Darren, who is originally from Banbridge, said, “The presence of a child was accepted in the intensive care unit for newborns (NICU) after birth is an unimaginable experience.”

“Lisa did not get this first embrace with Sophie after the birth that she always dreamed of. Instead, she was moved away and Lisa first saw a valuable child through an incubating cover with many of the different attached tubes and wires and a small mask on her small face.

Also read: The new newborn unit at Limreik Motherhood Hospital “to convert” prematurely care for children

“The newborn unit has become our home during the next 52 days, and the employees have made every effort to make the experience as normal as possible. They celebrated every milestone, and took our first family image on Christmas Day and gathered to wish us goodbye to us on the 53rd day when we got out of the house.”

Since Sophie’s discharge, the couple wanted to show their appreciation for all the care and support provided to their family and created the GOFUNDME page with 250 euros, which he exceeded ten times.

“During the births of children, a lot of focusing on encouraging interconnection between the child and the mother, such as touching the skin to the skin, which can encourage breastfeeding, said Lisa, from Ebeville, whose first name was Dalton.”

“Darren began reading to Sufi in the hope that she would get to know his voice and can connect them in a different way. A number of employees commented on this and said that it is good to see parents read their children.”

In addition, the new two -storey newborn unit has been detected at UMHL, with the completion of the extension now after five years.

The project, which represents HSE, is believed to be a total cost of 9.7 million euros, “completely transforming” for premature children, their parents and employees.