Sedge Fen couple raise over £1,000 for West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds as thank you for care given to daughter born prematurely

A couple whose baby daughter was born prematurely and stayed in hospital for more than three months have raised over £1,000 for a neonatal unit.

Karly Murkin and her partner Kyle Overy raised £1,204 from a car show which they held in a field at the back of their home in Sedge Fen, near Lakenheath.

More than 200 people attended, and the funds were boosted by a barbecue on the day, with the money raised donated to the neonatal unit at West Suffolk Hospital, in Bury St Edmunds.

The parents wanted to give back to the unit after their daughter Dolly-Rose was treated at the hospital.

She was born prematurely after 26 weeks and weighed just 1lb 4oz in April after Karly had to have an emergency caesarean delivery.

The procedure was carried out at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in Cambridge, where they were kept for five weeks before being transferred to West Suffolk Hospital where they remained for another eight weeks.

Leading up to the birth of her daughter Karly suffered from pre-eclampsia, a condition that causes high blood pressure during pregnancy and after labour, which prompted her to haemorrhage.

Now nearing five-months-old and weighting 8lbs 11ozs, Dolly-Rose is doing well thanks to the care of staff at West Suffolk.

Karly, 30, had initially aimed to raise £500 but was 'delighted' to have doubled that amount on the day thanks to the many people who attended.

“We held the car show on July 17 which was her due date,” she said.

“When we were transferred to West Suffolk Hospital they were wonderful and got Dolly-Rose ready for home and they made it feel homely for us.

"They put her on a breathing machine and gradually got her off of that and got her into some kind of normality.

"They were brilliant with her and we were delighted to have raised the money for the unit.”

Tanya Fifield, fund-raising officer for West Suffolk Hospital's charity My WiSH, said: “Karly was so passionate about raising money for the neonatal unit due to the care Dolly-Rose received by the amazing team.

“She smashed her target and we are delighted for her and Kyle that they had such a successful event. Karly is eager to do more and we are excited to see what she does next.”