NICU dad Paddling for Preemies
Less than one week before his kayaking challenge, a dad whose son spent seven weeks in our NICU has already raised £6,000.
Nate Gregory will be spending three days on the Norfolk Broads from 15 September, kayaking 90 kilometres for his Paddling for Preemies challenge.
Nate and his wife Holly, from Cromer, spent seven weeks in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) after his son Eben was born by emergency Caesarean section at 29 weeks, weighing 3lb 2oz.
He said: “Every day, babies are born too soon, too small, or with complications.
“In 2021, my son was born prematurely where their incredible team saved his life and we were able to bring him home. Although, devastatingly, this isn’t the case for all families.
“I’m doing this challenge in support of the amazing team at NICU to help purchase life-saving equipment and to provide supplies that support families who may also find themselves sitting next to an incubator, praying for a miracle.”
Nate’s challenge will start at Horstead Mill and from there he will travel down the River Bure all the way to Great Yarmouth, face the challenge of crossing Breydon Water, and then continue along the River Yare, finishing in Norwich city centre.
A range of fundraising events has already helped bring the money raised so far to £6,000.
He said: “I’m not a kayaker. In fact, before I started training for this challenge I’d only ever kayaked for about an hour — and that was for a pub lunch!
“This is going to take a complete transformation of my body, my mind, and my lifestyle over the next 20 weeks of training.
“I will never be able to repay what the incredible team at NICU did for my family during that time. The preemie warriors fight every single day, and the staff care for them around the clock. Now it’s my turn to fight for them.
“Every donation, no matter the size, will make a real and lasting impact for babies and their families.”
Nate Gregory is fundraising for Norfolk and Norwich Hospitals Charity