Derbyshire mum of triplets to take on London Marathon for Sheffield Hospitals

Joanne Gray’s daughters Alice, Emily and Lucy – who were conceived naturally – all weighed less than one pound when she gave birth to them three-and-a-half years ago.

Sadly Lucy did not survive, but after a fight for survival, Alice and Emily are now healthy toddlers – prompting Joanne to raise cash for Sheffield Hospitals Charity.

She said: “At 24 weeks’ gestation I was rushed to a local hospital, where doctors and nurses were waiting for me to come in. I was then given the heartbreaking news that there was only two heartbeats.

“The next day I had an emergency caesarean section. Unfortunately Lucy had passed away and Alice and Emily were so tiny that they were taken to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Jessop Wing in Sheffield straight away.

“The doctors and nurses said that their aim was to get us home with two babies, but they could make us no promises as they had so many medical problems.”

Joanna says she still can’t explain the ‘heartache and emotional upset’ of not being able to hold her babies for several months.

“The girls had numerous medical issues which tested the expertise of the nurses and doctors who worked so hard to keep the girls alive,” she said.

“As well as looking after them, they also looked after me and my partner, David – not just making sure we were ok, but trying to make us smile.”

Joanna said Alice and Emily are now three-and-a-half and ‘thriving’.

To sponsor Joanne, visit her giving page