Walk for Prems 2019
Back in October 2019, my husband, daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter formed Team Tiny Dottie, to help raise money and make a difference by participating in the 10th Annual Walk for Prems.
We called ourselves Team Tiny Dottie because my granddaughter had been born a few months earlier ( in England and we live in Australia) and we wanted to support this very worthwhile organisation who had given us help and information during our time of need.
As a team we raised over $2000 for Life’s Little Treasures Foundation, an organisation committed to helping families of premature babies and a cause that is very close to our hearts.
My granddaughter Dottie was born at 25 weeks and spent 98 days in NICU before going home and then many months on oxygen after she was home. I know the value of these organisations now, whereas before I had no idea. If I can help make a difference and improve support for other families, then I will do what I can.
I’m happy to say that Dottie is progressing very well and celebrated her 1st birthday in style, except we couldn’t be there with her due to Covid.
How the Walk for Prems 2020 became a bike ride
This year, due to Covid, the Walk for Prems had to go ‘virtual‘ but I still decided to sign up and help raise money. The only problem was that I had a dodgy knee/leg and couldn’t walk as well as I could last year.
But that didn’t stop me, I decided to ride my bike and log the total kilometres for October. Riding my bike doesn’t hurt my leg at all so it was a win/win. The Mathematician also added in his rides and we were pleasantly surprised with our results.
Of course I did most of my riding on the Tumbarumba to Rosewood Rail Trail, another cause very close to my heart! It’s a safe, scenic, and fun to ride and my happy place.
I managed to raise over $500 in sponsorship thanks to some very generous and caring people. If you’d still like to sponsor me you can do so by clicking on this link: Granny Debs Walk for Prems. I appreciate all your support, as do the families with premature or sick babies.
And the best news is that between us both we have cycled over 800kms during October, which I think is a fair number of kilometres!! I will note the Mathematician contributed many more kms than me, but hey it’s not a competition!
If you’d like to read more about Walk for Prems, click on this link – About Walk for Prems and information about Life’s Little Treasures Foundation can be found here. They have been great to deal with when we needed support.
Grandparents Day
It was Grandparents Day on Sunday 25 October 2020 as well as Walk for Prems day and I was lucky enough to spend the day with 2 of my daughters and 2.5 grandchildren. It was the first time my 8 month old grandson had met his aunty, uncle and cousin. Considering we all live in different states of Australia, with many Covid restrictions in place, it was made even more special! Can you see how crinkly my eyes are from smiling???
Of course Melanie and Dottie were missed but we know they were with us in spirit and on the end of the phone!
As I did last year, I agreed to do some publicity for Walk for Prems 2020 and as a result I was interviewed by a regional newspaper with our family’s story and some photos. Unfortunately this story was online for subscribers of the paper only, despite being up on their Facebook page, not everyone could access it 😦
Dottie Wombat
My daughter in England has started an Etsy shop selling her creative prints and her shop is called Dottie Wombat. A proportion of all sales go to Bliss Charity in UK, which is a similar organisation to Life’s Little Treasures here in Australia.
One of her loveliest initiatives, and one which I’m so proud of her for, is the Premature NICU postcard of kindness to a stranger, where she’ll write a message on a postcard and send it to the nurse’s station for them to hand out to someone they think might need a lift.
Although I’m half a world away, I ordered a few of these postcards and Melanie was able to handwrite a message on them and send them out to random strangers as they sit by their baby’s incubator. I get teary just thinking about how much this random postcard might mean to a parent in that situation.
Isn’t that just beautiful and so kind??
Thanks for reading!
Debbie
Linking up with Becky’s Squares – kindness makes the world go around!
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Deb is a young-at-heart & active 60+ blogger/retiree, after being made redundant from her 22-year career managing education programs in a men’s correctional centre (jail). She now spends her time reading, blogging, riding her ebike and travelling. Deb was awarded a Bravery Award from the Queen when she was 17 after a tragic accident – a definite life changing moment! She is married with 3 grown-up daughters & has 4 grandchildren. You can read more of Deb’s story here
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Deb's World 
Hi, Deb- This post made me smile repeatedly. Dottie is sooooo gorgeous. And BIG kudos to you for participating in Walk/Ride for Prems despite your injured knee and leg. Well done!
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Awww thanks Donna, I love having you in my cheer squad!
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Since I only started following you a short time ago, I was unaware of your granddaughter. I think it’s fantastic that you have found this route to support her and other families in her situation. Since retirement, I volunteer in many local charitable organizations. Not only do they help others, but I feel good about myself.
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Thanks Pete, I find volunteering and helping out like this gives me a focus and I’m very thankful for all the support. It’s my way of giving back. I agree, it helps us as well as others.
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I sometimes think of little Dottie, and think about how much you must be feeling the distance that Covid has put between you. I guess you’ll be on that plane as soon as you can be. Hope your knee improves.
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That’s sweet of you for thinking of Dottie! Yes the distance does my head in sometimes Chris, and now they’re going back into lockdown I’m worried about them all again. My knee is on the improve thanks!!
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I worked for a time at Bristol maternity hospital (St. Michael’s) and have seen the important work Bliss does. I love the fact that your daughter is supporting them and that you are raising funds for the Australian equivalent.
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Thanks Anne, it’s so good to hear from you. Bliss does great work and my daughter has so much compassion and care for those in a similar position to her last year and I’m so proud of her.
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Fabulous effort to raise so much money when you’re not 100% in the knee department. Absolutely love the postcards, what a wonderful idea that must bring so much happiness in difficult times.
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Thanks Jonno, I’m so proud of my daughter for her compassion and care after all she’s been through.
Thinking of you and Jo as you go back in to lockdown.
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This means much more to me than it would have done a couple of years ago, as we too have a granddaughter who was born three months premature. She should be 2 this month, but she’s actually 2 1/4, and a cheeky, happy, healthy delight. How wonderful that Dottie is doing well too. I hope you won’t take it amiss if I send support to a similar organisation in the UK, Bliss. What would we have done without modern medical care? In our case our daughter-in-law was even more at risk than our granddaughter, The success stories we read in the hospital were a tribute to everyone involved in the care of such families.
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I’m so pleased to read your comment Margaret and I’d be thrilled if you made a donation to Bliss. My daughter in England is a huge supporter of them after her time in NICU. I’m so pleased to read that your granddaughter is also thriving, what would be do without such great medical care? Thank you so much for reading and leaving such a heartfelt and lovely comment.
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Grannies of Premature Babies Unite!
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oh so very very kind. What amazing work they do, sending hugs to your whole family for being so wonderful and supporting others as you go through tough days yourselves. A wonderfully kind post 😀
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Thanks Becky, it was good to be involved.
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What a wonderfully thoughtful thing to do, brought tears to my eyes.
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Thanks very much Cathy!
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This is huge lump in the throat stuff, Debs! It’s the kind of charity you never think of unless you have been personally involved. So happy for you and your family that you made it through, and what a fabulous smile little Dottie has. 🙂 🙂
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Many thanks for your lovely message Jo. Dottie is just delightful with her smiles and giggles.
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You look beautiful..what a great photo ..grandchildren are so precious ..I’m lucky to have two now
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Thanks Ali, they are precious and not to be taken for granted.
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