Northampton couple raises nearly £7,000 after running 48KM in 21 hours for hospital ward that saved their son

A Northampton couple has raised nearly £7,000 after running 48 kilometers in 21 hours for a hospital ward that saved their premature son.

Stephanie White, 35, and her husband, Steve, 36, crossed the great distance to raise money for the Gosset Ward, a neonatal intensive care unit at Northampton General Hospital (NGH), which saved their son, William, after he was born six and a half weeks early on August 4, 2021.

Beginning at 1.22am on Saturday (April 16) to mark the birth of their son, the pair split the run into laps of 2.24 kilometers between their home in Moulton and the nearby GP surgery.

However, the couple did not have to cover the large distance alone, being joined by friends, family and others who have also benefited from the work of Gosset Ward.

Stephanie said: “We tried to be extra quiet when we started at 1:22am so we didn’t upset the neighbours. But our neighbour came out to cheer us on anyway.

"From around 7am we were joined by friends and other people who have been affected by Gosset Ward. That’s what kept us going.

"We didn’t have time to worry about the distance because we were so busy chatting with people or eating when we had our breaks. Everyone was so amazing coming out to support us like that.

"Many were from Gosset Ward who we met during our stay there, as well as other parents of babies who the ward helped just like us.

"We even had a walking lap that the babies could join. It was great to bring William along, even though it won’t have registered with him what this was all about.

"We will never forget it.”

A standout star of the event was the couple’s young nephew Alfie, 12, who ran with the couple from 10am all the way to the finish at around 9:40pm. Stephanie described him as “the heartbeat of the whole thing” who “loves his cousin very much”.

Meanwhile, the couple’s home became a “base” for supporters and runners alike to rest, eat and drink a little bubbly. Money was also raised through a cake sale and raffle.

With hopes remaining high that funds will cross the £7,000 threshold before presenting it to the ward, the fortunate mother said she was “amazed” by the generosity shown both by loved ones and total strangers.

All done in service to a ward that, before the birth of their son, the couple had no idea existed.

Stephanie said: “We didn’t think about having a premature baby and we didn’t have any idea Gosset Ward existed. So it’s just been amazing to see all the generosity. Anything at all goes a long way for the ward.

“We’re really hoping to get to the £7,000 before we give the proceeds to the ward.

"If anyone is thinking about doing something to support a cause I just think that they should go for it because the whole experience has just been amazing.”

If you would like to read more about their fundraiser or would like to donate, visit their JustGiving page here.