Paddington goes campaigning
More than 20 MPs met researchers, parents, staff and, of course, Paddington Bear at Action Medical Research’s first-ever reception at the House of Commons to launch the report The Tiny Lives Charter: a cross-party call to tackle premature birth.
As we’ve mentioned previously the report pulls together the views of 19 top researchers, medics, nurses and parents on the subject of premature birth, as well as parents and expert groups.
In the report we argue that the largest cause of infant mortality in the UK requires urgent government action and calls for the establishment of the UK’s first 10-year National Research Strategy for improving our understanding of the causes of premature birth.
We are pleased to report that we now have 58 MPs backing the campaign. An extra 12 signed up at the event, taking us to almost one third of our target of 200 MPs - a fantastic result.
Parents Fiona Currie and Pieter Willemse also attended the launch. Fiona made an incredibly moving speech about the death of her daughter, Lauren. She was accompanied by husband George and Lauren’s surviving twin, Eilidh, who stole everybody’s hearts and became very attached to Paddington!
