Ickle Pickles Announces 28K Incubator Push Charity Challenge in Portsmouth to Support Premature Babies

Get ready to mark your calendars for the best event in Portsmouth! The 28K Incubator Push challenge is gearing up to shake things up at the Mountbatten Centre Athletics Track on October 12th. It's not your average charity challenge — it's a real extravaganza bursting with community spirit and a sprinkle of heroism.

Picture this: tiny superheroes battling for their lives, surrounded by high-tech gear like incubators, ventilators and brain monitors. It's not a movie, the stars are real little warriors fighting for their chance at life. With each lap around the Athletics track, participants are not just raising essential funds for these ickle fighters but also highlighting the challenges faced by premature and sick babies and their families in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). The unique Incubator Push presents a 28km challenge which gathers communities and hospitals nationwide and allows participants to support their chosen neonatal unit.

Among the fearless warriors is six-year-old Luna, a pint-sized powerhouse with a heart of gold. Born prematurely alongside her late brother Owen, Luna and her family are on a mission to give back to the neonatal unit that cared for Owen and saved Luna’s life.

Luna and her parents are determined to help other babies like Luna get the best start in life. “As a family, we are passionate about supporting Ickle Pickles and other families that experience the neonatal journey. Our son Owen was born prematurely at 26 weeks and sadly passed away at 12 weeks old. Our daughter Luna also received neonatal care, after her arrival at 34 weeks" said Lorraine Blackburn, Incubator Push organiser and NICU mum.

Luna’s dad explains further: “We experienced the NICU journey. One I wouldn’t wish on anyone but my goodness, those people who looked after my babies were amazing. I owe so much to them. We are passionate about fundraising for the unit to give them the best and much-needed equipment and supporting parents who are going through this journey. A NICU warrior never fights alone. We are all behind you!“

Their story is a reminder of the strength and love that binds us all together in the face of adversity. Join Luna and the rest of her family at the Incubator Push for a day of fun, sweat, and heartfelt support for neonatal units. Whether you are pushing the incubator for all 28 laps or cheering from the sidelines, every little bit counts in the fight for these tiny miracles. So, grab your cape, register, receive an Ickle Pickles T-shirt and be a part of this epic fundraising adventure!

But the 28K Incubator Push challenge is about more than just raising money for vital neonatal equipment; it’s about bringing awareness and improving neonatal care. “We’ve been supporting neonatal care with life-saving equipment since 2009,” added Rachael, co-founder of Ickle Pickles and mum of a premature boy. “Though a novel fundraising concept, this Incubator Push challenge is a testament to our dedication to providing unique ways for everyone to participate in fighting for every child’s survival.”

Essential equipment like incubators, ventilators, oxygen, brain monitors, and feeding pumps form the backbone of a neonatal unit. But they are expensive. An incubator costs £28,000 and approximately £2000 a day for a baby to be cared for in a neonatal unit. Babies born between 28-31 weeks need to be cared for in a neonatal unit for an average of 44 days, and with one in thirteen babies being born prematurely each year in the UK, Ickle Pickles is on a mission to give every newborn a fighting chance.

The Ickle Pickles Charity welcomes hospitals, companies, and communities to join their innovative fundraising efforts. The Incubator Push on the 12th of October in Portsmouth gives families and friends of babies cared for in neonatal units a chance to give back and support their local hospital unit. Whether taking part or sponsoring the Incubator Push, volunteering, donating, or sharing stories, everyone can contribute to making a difference for the tiniest patients yet the biggest fighters.

Visit Ickle Pickles to sign up for an individual lap or register to take turns as a team.

About Ickle Pickles:

Ickle Pickles is a Children’s Charity that works and campaigns nationally to give every newborn a chance. Since 2009, the Charity has bought small and large equipment for over 50 neonatal units around the UK and continues to fight for the survival of every ickle pickle.