By Alesha Capone
Wyndham Vale woman Madeleine Yahya is on the run to raise funds and awareness for a cause close to her heart.
Ms Yahya’s first child, daughter Aliyah, was born at 32 weeks gestation last year.
With Aliyah soon to celebrate her first birthday, Ms Yahya is participating in the Premmie Marathon Challenge by running 42 kilometres this month around her local area, the Jubilee estate, as part of a team called Miracle Mumma.
The marathon challenge asks participants to raise money to donate towards the purchase of humidicribs for the neonatal units at Sydney’s Royal Hospital for Women and the Alice Springs Hospital.
The developer behind Jubilee, Lotus Living, has donated $1000 towards Ms Yahya’s fundraising efforts.
Ms Yahya said that in November last year, she felt a pain in her side while getting ready for work before her water broke.
Ms Yayha spent two weeks in hospital and gave birth on December 10.
Aliyah weighed 1.9 kilograms when she was born, which is small but considered a “good size” for an infant born eight weeks early
Aliyah also needed to be placed inside an incubator after being born, as her body experienced difficulty maintaining her temperature. She spent 28 days in hospital.
Ms Yahya said she and her husband considered themselves “very lucky” as some babies born as early as Aliyah cannot even breathe by themselves.
Ms Yahya said Aliyah was now a “very happy” and “very cheeky” child.
“My advice to other parents of premature babies is to not blame yourself that it’s happening, it’s not your fault,” she said.
“Also, take help when it’s offered. You just want to power through and be there for the baby, but you need to take a minute for yourself.”
See www.runningforprematurebabies.com/fundraiser/madeleineyahya to donate to Ms Yahya’s fundraising efforts.
