Charity funding for training equipment to improve care for premature babies
A family has raised over £33,000 to help care for critically ill babies at Basildon Hospital.
Richard and Lydia Hobden’s donation – in memory of their son Noah – will fund training tools so that staff in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) can practice emergency procedures and provide better care for babies.
The equipment includes a newborn simulation aid; a highly realistic training manikin that can mimic breathing, crying, and other vital signs, allowing NICU nurses and doctors to practise complex emergency scenarios in a safe environment.
The donation has also funded a video laryngoscope, which gives clinicians a clearer view during vital airway procedures on newborns.
Richard and Lydia, from Billericay, set up Noah’s Big Charity in memory of their son. Noah was born 15 weeks early, weighing just 1lb 15 ounces in April 2013 and was cared for at Basildon’s NICU before sadly passing away at 91 days old.
Laura Miller, Head of Nursing for Neonates at the Trust, said: “These advanced training aids will allow us to practise complex emergency procedures on a lifelike baby that responds just as a real newborn would. This kind of training is invaluable - it builds confidence, sharpens skills, and ultimately improves the safety and outcomes for the babies we care for. We are deeply grateful to Noah’s Big Charity for making this possible.”
This latest gift builds on more than a decade of support from the charity. Richard has hosted a dozen highly successful charity golf days, raising substantial funds to support the NICU team. These events, alongside the charity’s wider fundraising, have ensured that Noah’s legacy lives on through improved facilities and training for staff, and better outcomes for babies and families.
Clair Grayston, Head of Fundraising at Mid and South Essex Hospitals Charity, said: “Richard and Lydia have been steadfast supporters of our hospitals following the devastation of losing Noah. In recent years their donations have funded life-saving equipment including neonatal monitoring systems and a bedside stabilisation and resuscitation unit.
“This latest donation will further strengthen the care we can provide. Noah’s legacy is felt every day on the neonatal unit, and we are honoured to continue working alongside the Hobdens to ensure his memory brings hope to other families.”