Mum of premature twins raises thousands for neonatal units to say ‘thank you’

A PLUMBRIDGE mother of two beautiful twins who were born prematurely has helped to raise thousands of pounds for the neonatal units that cared for her children when they were most in need.

Annie and Mary McCullagh were born prematurely at 31 weeks on July 16, 2021, and both girls spent some time in the Royal
Neonatal Unit in Belfast, before being transferred to Altnagelvin Neonatal Unit in Derry, where they stayed until discharged home at 37 weeks.

Wanting to say a big Christmas ‘thank you’ to both neonatal units, mum, Maeve, embarked upon a fun-filled fundraiser titled ‘Guess The Names of the Scarecrows’ that the twins’ talented older siblings, Peter and Rose, helped to make.

A fantastic grand total of £3,618.15 was raised, with £1,000 donated to The Royal Neonatal Unit in Belfast and £2,618.15 donated to Altnagelvin Hospital’s Neonatal Unit, Derry.

The funds at Altnagelvin’s Neonatal Unit were spent on breastfeeding equipment, while the remainder of the money was deposited into an account with ‘Partridge Peartree’ to use for various items, including cool bags with printed logos.

The McCullagh family say they were ‘blown away’ by the generosity of the public who supported their fundraising efforts, and the staff in the neonatal units wish to pass on their sincere gratitude to everyone who contributed.

Gratefully acknowledging the generous donation from the McCullagh Family of Plumbridge to Altnagelvin Hospital’s Neonatal Unit, a spokesperson said, “Thank you so much to Maeve and her family for making this donation to the Unit which will benefit the babies and families who require our care and support in the future.”