We were going home to enjoy Christmas. I couldn’t have imagined for a second what was about to happen…

Claire and her partner, Graeme were overjoyed when they found out they were having a baby and couldn’t wait to tell family and friends.

Throughout the early stages of pregnancy, everything seemed fine. There was a time in the build-up to Christmas when Claire thought something wasn’t quite right and did have to go to see her doctor but a scan found nothing seriously wrong. The couple were excited to celebrate the festive season and start making plans for the future.

Just 25 weeks into her pregnancy, Claire was rushed to hospital… The baby was on its way

Baby Angus was born, weighing just 2lb 4oz. His ordeal resulted in a bleed on the brain and it was an agonising time for Claire and Graeme, not knowing if Angus would survive and if he did, what the consequences would be.

After 80 days in Intensive Care, Angus was downgraded to the Special Care Baby Unit, before he was finally allowed to go home and the family were able to start their new life together. Angus does, sadly, have severe hearing loss and issues with his co-ordination but he’s been able to have a very happy childhood.

Our research will help women just like Claire, meaning many more mums will have a healthy pregnancy and many more babies will have the best possible start in life

Two years after Angus was born, Claire gave birth to a baby girl, Alex. Claire said:

‘I don’t believe I would have had the confidence to try for another baby were it not for the advice and support we received from Nigel Simpson, Head of Research at the Cerebra Perinatal Research Centre. He was there during the hardest time, even visiting us in the NICU long after Angus was born. The monitoring and care we received throughout my second pregnancy was outstanding and we will be forever grateful to him and his team.’