By Kirsty and Neil

Before September 2013, we had never heard of HIE. Layla, true to form arrived 6 days late, feet first, grey and floppy. We had blindly assumed that if she wasn’t premature then she wouldn’t be in any kind of danger because no one really talks about full term babies in the neonatal unit. We watched in horror as she underwent 12 minutes of resuscitation and was then whisked off to the neonatal unit. The next time we saw her was 5 hours later when she was locked up in a box receiving cooling treatment. We were told while we were looking at her with so much love and confusion that she had moderate HIE and only time would tell how that would manifest itself.

We’ve been through discussions where we were told she might not walk, might not be able to make herself understood if she spoke, might not toilet train and many more discussions besides. Layla clearly hasn’t been told this because she just carries on astounding everyone who comes into contact with her. 

During lockdown she mastered a standard pushbike (with gears), she loves being in the water and just got her 5 metre badge recently, she’s been riding horses since she was 4 years old with the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) and competed in 2 competitions and has a love for Junior Parkrun where she’s picked up her first volunteer award and has nearly got her ultra marathon wristband for completing 50 junior parkruns .

 Last year Layla pledged to walk 30 miles for Peeps-HIE and not only smashed that target (did 33 miles in April) but quadrupled her fundraising target as well. This year she has added to her target and would like to do 41 miles during April to raise more money for such a wonderful cause.