New mum's endurance challenge set to help others relax

A grateful mum has put herself through extreme discomfort so other parents may enjoy a bit of respite while their newborn babies are in hospital.

Bethany Carnegie entered the ROC England triathlon - a brutal test of endurance held in the Lake District - to raise money for Singelton Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

The event consisted of a 1.5km swim in Lake Winder, a 45.5km bike ride to England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike, before an 8.75km run to the summit, followed by another 8.75km run back down and a 45.5km bike return to the lake before a 1km trail run completes the course.

In the process of completing the challenge, in around nine hours, Bethany, who was supported by her partner James Cutler, a Morriston Hospital Emergency Department doctor, raised £355 towards helping refurbish the parents’ room in NICU.

The cause is close to the couple’s hearts as their daughter, Delilah, spent the best part of a week in NICU last December after experiencing breathing difficulties soon after birth.

Bethany said: “We had Delilah on the labour ward in Singleton in December 2023 but after a few days she had to go to the neonatal intensive care unit. 

“She went a bit blue in the face so they called the NICU doctor and took her up and put her on high-flow oxygen. 

“She just needed some help with her lungs.

“We were there for six or seven days, so made use of the facilities at the hospital.

“The staff were absolutely brilliant. Both on the labour ward and NICU, they were very, very caring. They made us feel very well looked after. They made you feel ok to leave in the evenings because you knew that she was so well looked after. 

“We want to say a massive thank you.”

While there, the couple were grateful of the facilities for parents in the unit, even though they were showing their age.

Bethany said: “We didn’t need to make use of the Cwtsh Clos accommodation for families, as we live locally, but we did use the parents’ room, which does need a bit of tender loving care.

“It’s somewhere to go while you’re still close –somewhere to go instead of the hallway - which is really nice. Just sitting for 10 minutes and maybe chatting to other parents, where it’s not bleeping, and having a bit of a respite.”

Once they had taken Delilah home, Bethany came up with the idea of fundraising.

She said: “We wanted to raise money for the parents’ room in the unit itself. So I did a triathlon in the Lake District and raised £355.

“It wasn’t a standard distance triathlon. It’s known as the ROC triathlon. You swim Lake Windermere, bike to the bottom of Scafell Pike – I didn’t quite make it to the top as I missed the checked point. I came down and biked back to the start where you have a 1km trail run to finish.

“It was quite tough but I had the cause in my mind helping to spur me on.”

Helen James, NICU matron, thanked the couple.

She said: “We can’t thank Bethany enough for raising money for the parents’ room. 
Parents are always so grateful to have an opportunity to have a quiet space from the clinical area.

“Ensuring the room is welcoming helps parents to feel relaxed and reduces the stresses of having a baby on the neonatal unit.

“The ROC triathlon is undoubtedly very challenging but thanks to Bethany’s determination and resilience she was successful in completing this event. 
Well done Bethany.”   

Cathy Stevens, the charity’s fundraising officer, said: “Thank you so much to Bethany for taking on this incredible challenge to raise money for NICU – it just goes to show how thankful she is to our staff for the care they gave Delilah.”