Cherish...

Went to the CHERISH Christmas party yesterday (Cherish being the charity for the Wrexham Special Care Baby Unit of which I am on the committee)- Really great to see a room full of kids that were once on special care- all different ages - mad to think that all those lovely children in their party outfits were once in ICU at birth, with anxious mums and dads praying, wishing, crying and hoping their way through cot-side vigils. Every single one of those parents at the party knew exactly what it meant to be able to enjoy Christmas with their child and there was a real sense of celebration in the air from people who are grateful for every move their child makes. Some kids had spent the first 6 months of their lives on special care - I cannot imagine how hard that is- four weeks was long enough for us! Cherish is such an apt name for the charity because each child is genuinely cherished by parents who have looked over to the dark side, faced possibilities within hours of a child's birth that most mothers could not even comprehend. When you have stared the chance of your child's death in the face soon after giving birth and then battled through the doctors predictions, battled through the life support machines and the medication and the drips and the feeding lines and the SATS monitors, then find yourself months or years later at a Christmas party with your child, Cherish only really begins to explain how you feel about them ;-)