Mum Maisie Bourne, 27, from Rochester, said: “When we were handed the teddy bear we were told they were being given to all babies to mark the 25th anniversary of the two services moving from All Saints to Medway.
“It was a lovely thing to do and it’s something we can keep for Nellie and show her when she is older and another story to tell her about her birth.”
Back in 1999 a Steiff bear was presented to Amanda Perry, the last mum to give birth at All Saints, and Nicola McKenna, the first mum to have a baby at Medway.
From when the maternity unit opened at Medway up until 31 March 2024, there has been approximately 120,000 births. A video has also recently been produced to show the maternity services available.
Meanwhile, the number of babies cared for on the Oliver Fisher Neonatal Unit has increased from 439 in 1999 to 1,300 in 2024 and a 3D tour of the unit has been created so families know what to expect if their child is transferred to the unit.
Dad Geoff, from Bapchild, said: “The impending move from All Saints Hospital to the new maternity and neonatal unit at Medway was at the forefront of everyone’s mind. The staff were keen to ensure that as few babies as possible needed to be transferred and we knew Alice stood little chance of coming home.
“Olivia and Jacqui were discharged on 2 July so we spent a lot of time with Alice saying our tearful farewells. No parent wants to leave their child behind and we were backwards and forwards to the hospital for the next few days.
“On 5 July Alice became a TV Star as she was filmed by the then TVS crew, later ITV News Meridian, showing her transfer by ambulance to her new home. We were not allowed to see her but could ring later that night to ensure all was well.
“The following day we saw Alice in a ward all on her own with a couple of cuddly toys for company. She had improved and was now in the High Dependency Unit (HDU). Over the course of the first week she was gradually joined by other babies with the new wards and unit became fully operational on 8 July 1999.
“Alice was finally discharged home on 10 July 1999. In her formative years we found out that she is partially deaf in one ear but she is no worse for her experience than any other person born into this world.
“As parents, words are meaningless and you can never ever thank the staff and doctors that not only looked after Alice and Olivia but also my wife, especially when I was so close to losing them all.”
Sarah Clarke, Neonatal Matron, said: “The one thing that hasn’t changed in the last 25 years is the amount of passion and the amount of dedication that there is from the staff that work on the unit.
“We couldn’t do our job singularly. We are a fantastic team and that dedication is what really helps the babies and their families during what can be ae extremely challenging and emotional time of their lives.”
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