One in every eight babies in the UK is born premature or sick. That is over 80,000 babies every year.

22,000 of these babies need intensive care, often for many weeks or even months. As medical treatments continue to improve, this figure is rising all the time.

The vital care that premature and sick babies receive after birth can have a profound impact on the rest of their lives. And for families struggling to cope with having a baby in special care, this will be one of the most difficult, emotional and stressful times of their lives.

Bliss was established 30 years ago and continues to champion the care of our most vulnerable babies and their families. Theyare the only national charity dedicated to improving the survival and long-term quality of life for babies born too soon, too small or too sick to cope on their own.

Theyprovide a dedicated support service to families. This helps them to understand the often complex challenges that their babies are facing and also offers emotional and practical advice at what can be a very difficult time.

Advances in technology have resulted in more babies surviving. However, there are chronic shortages of specialist nurses to provide the necessary care. The demand for specialised neonatal services can also often mean that hospital units are forced to work well over their agreed capacity. In addition some mothers and babies are transported hundreds of miles to find a cot in a neonatal unit. Bliss campaigns to address all of these crucial issues with governments and the NHS.

Through generous donations from the public and companies, Bliss funds a number of ground-breaking clinical research projects and education programmes to improve standards of care. We work with doctors, nurses, midwives and community health teams across the whole of the UK.

To donate to Bliss or to see how funds can be raised click here