Couple’s car show helps to raise over £1,000 for charity

A woman who gave birth to her daughter prematurely and weighed just 1lb 4oz has helped to raise over £1,000 for a hospital charity.

Karly Murkin and her partner Kyle Overy, who live in Sedge Fen, organised a car show with the help of their parents Tina and Brian Murkin and Wendy and Keith Overy, and held it in a field at the back of their property.

More than 200 people, including family and friends, attended the event which featured an array of 63 vehicles with a total of £1,204 being raised for the My WiSH Charity.

The funds were boosted by a barbecue on the day and the money is being directed towards the neo-natal unit at the West Suffolk Hospital, in Bury St Edmunds.

Thirty-year-old Karly had initially aimed to raise £500 but was “delighted” to have doubled that amount on the day thanks to the many people who attended.

Along with Kyle, 29, they wanted to give a financial boost to the unit after their daughter Dolly-Rose was treated at the hospital.

She was born prematurely after 26 weeks and weighed just 1lb 4oz back in April after Karly had to have an emergency caesarean delivery. The procedure was carried out at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in Cambridge, where they were kept for five weeks before being transferred to the West Suffolk Hospital where they remained for another eight weeks.

Leading up to the birth of her daughter Karly suffered from pre-eclampsia, a condition that causes high blood pressure during pregnancy and after labour, which prompted her to haemorrhage.

Now nearing five-months-old and weighing 8lbs 11ozs Dolly-Rose is doing well thanks to the care of staff at the West Suffolk, said Karly.

“We held the car show on July 17 which was her due date,” she said.

“When we were transferred to the West Suffolk they were wonderful and got Dolly-Rose ready for home and they made it feel homely for us. They put her on a breathing machine and gradually got her off of that and got her into some kind of normality.

“They were brilliant with her and we were delighted to have raised the money for the unit.”

Tanya Fifield, fundraising officer for My WiSH, said: “Karly was so passionate about raising money for the neo-natal unit due to the care Dolly-Rose received by the amazing team. She smashed her target, and we are delighted for her and Kyle that they had such a successful event. Karly is eager to do more, and we are excited to see what she does next”.