Children's nurse to run from Oxford's JR hospital to Banbury's Horton to raise money for a heart machine in memory of his daughter

Robin Wilcock and his wife Rachel lost Zoe, one of their identical twin daughters, last year. Zoe's sister, Keziah, survived.

The couple - who live in Elmscote Road - has dedicated this year to raising £6,000 to buy a heart machine that monitors a baby's heart through pregnancy and during birth for the John Radcliffe Hospital, where the girls were born.

Mr Wilcock, a children's nurse at the Horton, said: "My run will be over the weekend of May 8 - 9 taking me from the JR to the Horton in Banbury.

"Both girls received care at the JR in the fetal medicine unit and the neonatal unit. My own career started at the JR. We had initial scans at the Horton where I was born and currently work."

Rachel Wilcock said on the family's Go Fund Me page: "We owe so much to the hospital for the procedures that they undertook to try save the lives of both of our girls and to look after me during the pregnancy and with subsequent after-care.

"We are raising money for The Silver Star Society Fund 0347 to buy a cardiotocography (CTG) machine which monitors baby during pregnancy if there are issues and also during birth.

"We are going to be completing three events throughout 2021 to raise money and have asked others to join us with their own events to raise money too. These are Race It, a run or other sporting activity; Bake It, a bake sale, coffee morning or another 'making' activity and Give It Up, being sponsored for giving something up for a period of time."

Rachel, Robin and the girls' story can be seen on their Go Fund Me page - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Rachel-Wilcock9Through complications of a shared placenta, Zoe died at just before 18 weeks gestation and Keziah was found to have developed anaemia. She received two transfusions. She was born in an emergency caesarean section at 31 weeks on on April 18. Baby Keziah needed to stay in hospital for five weeks to gain weight.

Mrs Wilcock urged the Banbury area community to support the family's fundraising bid. "If you are able to donate or to support your friends and family who are also helping us raising funds we would be eternally grateful, as will many other families in the years to come," she said.

Mr Wilcock is a keen runner who will be competing in the London Marathon in October.

"I’m a runner but have really stepped up my training. I will be running alone. My route will take me from the JR to the Horton midwife-led unit and children’s ward. The route will take me from the JR into Oxford from where I will pick up the Oxford Canal which I will then follow to Banbury before finishing at the Horton," he said.