EVER-GRATEFUL dad, Andy Murray, has spoken from the heart as he urged the Ramily and Bishop’s Stortford supporters to donate generously to Saturday’s charity partner, New Life Special Care Babies.

Father of loanee Harlequin Jake, who has proved a big hit with fans since coming on board last October, Andrew explained how the cause is one particularly close to his family after his son was born at Kingston Hospital in London 10 weeks premature and weighing less than 3.5lbs (picture).

A further complication was the scrum-half was a breech birth, and Andy explained how he and wife Isabella remain eternally thankful for the work done by the hospital and the equipment provided by another London-based premature babies charity, Born Too Soon.

He started: “Once Jake was born, he was quickly whisked off and they started to treat him straight away.

“Meanwhile the parents are left in the delivery room, while all the tests are taken.

“The next time you see your baby they are in an incubator with so many wires going into all parts of their body, monitors all around.”

He continued: “One of the key things they’re checking for is oxygen levels, but as you’re sat in the room and there’s constant bleeping around you, silence is golden but as soon as the bleeping starts, you fear the worst – but the care is just unbelievable.

“There are three rooms premature babies go from – one is when they are in the worst state, two gradually better, and three on the home straight.

“But Jake was switching from one to two and back a few times, but with a couple of blood transfusions, we finally got to where we needed to be.

“We were also incredibly lucky they had a room for parents to have their child in the hospital for a couple of nights before they’re released, and that was so helpful as if something went wrong you knew immediate help was the other side of the door.”

Commenting on just how important the work of these charities is, Andy added: “It’s literally life-saving – many hospitals only have the equipment and facilities because of fundraising.

“It is hard to explain, and you can really only understand if you’ve been through it.

“Hopefully most people never will, but it is a cause worth giving too as you or any friends or family – or people you don’t even know – could benefit from it.”

Trevor Goodall, the founder of New Life Special Care Babies – which is Berkshire-based and has supported hospitals around the Thames Valley and south-east – set-up the charity following the loss of his two week-old babies Joshua and Samuel, and they have done incredible work in the past 25 years.

Andy beamed: “To have raised almost £2m is phenomenal – an incredible effort from Trevor and everyone involved in the charity.

“Please do support its ongoing efforts on Saturday.”

For more on New Life Special Care Babies, click here

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