Premature babies: Mum and dad of little girl born weighing just 1kg and spent 81 days in Halifax's hospital taking on fundraising challenge

Michelle Chan’s daughter Bella was born at just 27 weeks, weighing only 1.03kg.

Now she is a thriving, 18-month old, Michelle, 34, and her partner Dan, 35, say they want to give something back to the amazing doctors and nurses who helped.

On the day Bella was born, Michelle had gone to Calderdale Royal Hospital after noticing reduced movements.

"Usually she would kick loads when I was hungry or to wake me up," said Michelle, who is from Outlane and works in marketing.

"I carried on with my day but the movements still weren't there as much as usually so I told Dan and he said I should ring the maternity assessment unit."

She rang and was admitted to be monitored for 15 to 20 mins – but even before the time was up, a nurse who checked the baby's heart rate was concerned.

The team then told Michelle they needed to deliver the baby as soon as possible, and a team of six or seven medical staff descended to prep her for an emergency C-section.

"I was in shock,” she said. “I didn't know it was possible for the baby to come out at 27 weeks.

"I didn't want her to come out but when they took her out, she had the cord wrapped round her neck three times.

"She wouldn't have made it if we hadn't gone into hospital."

Tiny Bella was put on ventilator straight away and spent some time in Calderdale before being transferred to a more specialist unit in Hull.

When she was well enough, she came back to Calderdale but it was 81 days before Michelle and Dan could take their little girl home.

"When they told us we could take her home, I was happy but it was scary too,” said Michelle. “Every day, we'd had professional support helping us take care of her.

"She's doing really well, she's just small. She's 18 months but she's in 9 to 12 month clothes.

"She loves eating and is trying to say some words now. She can crawl really fast and has started to climb the stairs."

The couple are taking part in a 10km run in Lindley on June 25 to raise funds for the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Charity.

"We want to raise money for the NICU,” said Michelle. “They're so good because they don't just look after your child, they look after the parents too.

"We don't know we would have got through it without them."

Michelle said she also wants to raise awareness for pregnant women of the importance of monitoring the movements of their babies.

Pregnant women are advised to call their midwife or maternity unit immediately if their baby is moving less than usual, they cannot feel their baby moving anymore or there is a change to their baby's usual pattern of movements.

"Do not wait until the next day – call immediately, even if it's the middle of the night,” says the NHS.

To donate, visit the couple’s fundraising page.