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Aussie mum-of-two raises over $30,000 by running for premature babies

By Ashley North|

I was never an ultra-athlete, but three months after having my son I ran my first half-marathon.

Liam was born at 34 weeks, after I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, I had to deliver him early.

I had presented at the hospital at 33 weeks with headaches and high blood pressure, there was no family history of it, so I was very unprepared for him coming early. I hadn't even set up the nursery.

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Mum Ashley North has raised over $30,000 running for premature babies
Mum Ashley North has raised over $30,000 running for premature babies (Supplied)

When he was born Liam only weighed 1.66 kilograms, he looked like a tiny little alien, he was just so small!

But he was one of the lucky ones and we didn't have to stay in the NICU for too long only a few weeks. I basically camped at the hospital all day long I didn't want to leave his side.

However, in hospital, I saw lots of tiny babies who were fighting for their lives and relying on life-saving equipment. This is when I discovered a flyer in the hallway of the hospital 'Running for Premature Babies', and I figured this was the sign I needed.

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Baby Liam
Baby Liam (Supplied)

Of all the emotions of having my first child, having a premature baby was something I just was not prepared for. Despite the rollercoaster of emotions, the one thing that stuck in my head and still does now is the gratitude I had for the NICU staff and equipment.

It was scary, sad and overwhelming time but looking back I am just so thankful for this support and it's why I knew I wanted to give back.

I ran at high school, but I would have never considered myself an athlete, now I have raised just over $30,000 for 'Running for Premature Babies" in a few years and ran over 30 half-marathons. I had set myself a challenge 30 half-marathons over my 30th year to celebrate the milestone. From being unfit to doing this, this was a huge success for me and I proud I did it.

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Liam was born premature at XX weeks
Liam was born premature at 34 weeks (Supplied)

However, the last few runs I had on the cards happened during Covid, and I had to improvise so my last few marathons I had to plot out a track on the Gold Coast as we couldn't travel. I had some friends including the charity's founder Sophie Smith, who I ended up becoming good friends with, they ran it with me.

Sophie and I went on to organise a gala event and I brought my daughter who was just a few weeks old. Sophie's story is just so inspiring with everything she has gone through, it's inspiring what she has gone through, and others are inspired by it.

Running for Premature Babies was set up in 2007 by Sophie Smith after she and her late husband Ash lost their first-born triplet sons, Henry, Jasper and Evan, following an extremely premature birth at 24 weeks.

Sophie's heartbreaking story was my inspiration, but I must admit balancing training, working full-time, and having two kids at home wasn't easy. However, I was determined to not only raise the money (which I did) but do the distance (which I did). I clocked up around 1,000 kilometres.

I must have done something right because Liam, my little premmie, who is now seven, recently ran the Gold Coast five km run and raised $500 for the same cause.

He says it's good to be able to support the little babies. I just love this.

I do little training runs with Liam around the block near our home on the Gold Coast but he is much faster than me and just sprints off.

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Mum Ash North
Mum Ash North (Supplied)

My daughter who is five, came second in her cross country this year despite us not having high hopes for her athletics abilities.

Reflecting on what I have done, I was warmed by how many others helped me along the way, from friends who had never run before to taking up the sport to encourage me, to people far and wide supporting my journey.

I'm made lots of serendipitous relationships, and I am looking to the future.

Funnily enough I don't love running but I enjoy feeling fit and if I enter an event, I know I need to commit to it.

I never thought I'd say this, but I have missed not running as much this past year, because life got in the way, trying to do it all, but running is a nice meditation for me. Now I need an event to commit to that gets me motivated.

This year I am looking into an ultramarathon in December, that's a 50-kilometre one, so double what I'd usually do. But I've said it now and I will have to commit as of course it's for a great cause.

Since 2006, Running for Premature Babies has raised over $5 million for 90 pieces of life-saving neonatal equipment for hospitals across Australia.

Find out more at Running for Premature Babies Foundation

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