Adderbury baby's family unite to fundraise for life-saving team

The grateful family of a four-month-old who had life-saving surgery at just eight days old united for a fundraising effort with a target of £10,000.
Family of Penny Grace Morgan at Blenheim half marathon NNL-181017-121558001Family of Penny Grace Morgan at Blenheim half marathon NNL-181017-121558001
Family of Penny Grace Morgan at Blenheim half marathon NNL-181017-121558001

Penny Grace Morgan’s relatives joined forces for the British Heart Foundation Charity Run at Blenheim Palace, in aid of the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Southampton General Hospital.

Though the family live in Adderbury, Southampton is the paediatric heart centre for Oxfordshire and that’s where she went for open heart surgery.

Her family are raising the funds needed to refurbish the PICU family room, a free ‘home away from home’ for families of children in intensive care.

Twenty-six of her brothers, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends ran the race alongside her parents.

As well as friends and family, five Banburyshire businesses have backed them, including CS Wealth, Hawkins Group, Hayfield Homes, Indtech, Morgan Transport and Reg’s Cafe.

Penny’s mother Kelly Sharman said: “Twenty weeks into my pregnancy, Penny was diagnosed with Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA) and we were advised that she would need open heart surgery soon after birth to save her life.

“Penny was born four weeks early and underwent two lifesaving procedures prior to her open heart surgery at just eight days old.

“The PICU not only saved our daughter’s life, they saved ours too.

“Having spent three full weeks in Southampton while Penny was being taken care of, it is a haven for parents at a time when they are at their most vulnerable – allowing them to be close to their sick child.

“Raising this money towards the refurbishment of the family room is just a small token of our immense thanks and gratitude for everything the staff at Southampton General Hospital PICU did for our family.”

They have now beaten their £10,000 target but you can still make a donation, by visiting their JustGiving page.