James and Joel Camburn Photo: EKHT
A father has raised £2,000 to support other parents and premature children after his twin sons were born 10 weeks early.
Elliot Camburn from Canterbury completed Tough Mudder this September for the East Kent Hospitals Charity. The funds are to go to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford and the Special Care Baby Unit at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate.
Elliot and his wife Victoria Camburn, 28, spent time at the William Harvey Hospital after their sons James and Joel were born at 30 weeks gestation on October 4, 2023.
Elliot, 29, said,
“It was a scary time. We were seeing our little boys grow in their incubators. The William Harvey became our second home, and the staff were incredible.
“It’s all about the babies, but they do so much to support parents too. I joke to Victoria that what I’ve raised is probably only enough to cover what we went through in crisps!”
The couple were enjoying an evening at the cinema last October when Victoria noticed swelling in her fingers. Leaving the film halfway through, they attended William Harvey.
Elliot recalled:
“We arrived at the hospital dressed up for a nice evening. Within an hour and a half, Victoria was on the operating table having an emergency C-section. Despite all the panic, it was incredible that people were waiting in the wings to help so quickly.”
The couple’s sons, who weighed 3lb 3 and 3lb 2 at birth, were diagnosed with twin anemia-polycythemia sequence, an extremely rare condition where blood flows unequally between twins that share a placenta. The condition can be life threatening for both twins and the expectant parent.
Following their premature births, Joel was in hospital for 50 days, while James was in hospital for 106 days.
He said:
“My introduction to fatherhood and Victoria’s to motherhood were completely different from what we had imagined.
“But the staff could not have done more to support us. You’re not made to feel any less of a parent. In fact, you’re constantly reminded that your journey of parenthood is simply different.”
With the boys now turning one, Elliot and Victoria are delighted with their sons’ progress. Elliot said:
“We are still in touch with various teams throughout the NHS, but the boys are doing so well. We’re at the stage now where James isn’t dependent on oxygen 100% of the time.
“There are reminders that they were premature—they’re smaller and don’t have the skills most 1-year-olds do, but it’s only because of the care they’ve received that they are as happy and healthy as they are.”
The decision to fundraise for the East Kent Hospitals Charity came to Elliot unexpectedly.
He said:
“It was the middle of the night back in January. Joel was home, but James was still in the hospital, and I remember thinking about how many blankets had been used for the boys, how many clothes, how many tiny nappies.
“For parents, having access to tea, coffee, crisps, sandwiches, and biscuits just makes your time there a little easier. Then there are the breast pumps for mums, the sterilisation kits for bottles. It all adds up, and I wanted to help.
“My boys had been through pain and hadn’t had a choice. I decided I could put myself through something unpleasant and painful too. That’s when I decided to do Tough Mudder, though I’d never done anything like it before.”
Elliot took part in the gruelling 5-mile obstacle course with friend Sophie Cath on September 22.
Despite the weather proving challenging and Elliot describing the experience as “thoroughly unpleasant,” he is delighted by the amount of money raised.
He said:
“We wouldn’t be parents, and perhaps I wouldn’t have my beautiful wife Vicky still with me if it wasn’t for the team at William Harvey Hospital and their incredible Neonatal Intensive Treatment Unit. This is my way of helping them to provide the excellent care they do to hundreds of babies and their parents each year.”