Caring for parents of premature babies enables them to be on top form to help their little ones, a grateful mum has stated.

Bethan Wyn Evans underlined the importance of family accommodation for those who have a baby or babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) when she shared the story of her own daughter’s traumatic start to life.

Bethan, from Llangunnor in Carmarthenshire, has spoken out to help support our  Cwtsh Clos Appeal, which aims to raise £160,000 to refurbish and re-equip a terrace of five homes in the grounds of Singleton Hospital, made available to parents who do not live close by.

She said: “When we found out that we were able to have onsite accommodation it made a world of difference. 

“Although we only live around 40 minutes away, travelling that amount of time, and spending 15 to 20 hours a day by your baby’s bedside, on top of the travelling, is just too much.

“For the parents to be able to be on top form for their babies, the accommodation we had in Singleton was so important. We were so grateful for it.”

While still in the womb Bethan’s daughter, Mari Glyn, had been diagnosed with a life-threatening condition called congenital chylothorax, which meant she needed specialist treatment in St Michael’s Hospital in Bristol, where she was born in December 2021.

At around seven weeks old tiny Mari was transferred to the NICU in Singelton Hospital and her parents were provided with accommodation in Cwtsh Clos then and later on when she returned for eye surgery – spending four weeks there in all.

The great news is Mari, now two, is doing splendidly.

To say thank you for her care Carwyn, Mari Glyn’s father, and a group of supporters will run the 110 miles from St Michael’s Hospital, Bristol, home to Llangunnor this August in four days.

They will include a stop at Singleton Hospital.

Bethan said: “The team in Swansea Bay and Singelton agree that the homes are in need of renovation. That’s why we have chosen the Cwtsh Clos Appeal as one of the charities we are fundraising for.”

The family’s story will also feature in an hour-long documentary on S4C’s Heno on August 26^th.