A COUPLE whose prematurely-born son died aged just five weeks have raised £7,500 to help scores of other special care babies.

Mark and Louise Steffens’ son Freddie was born 16 weeks early in December 2008. He weighed less than a pound.

He was treated at the John Radcliffe Hospital’s special care baby unit but died of kidney failure.

To raise the cash, the Steffenses, of Tamarisk Gardens, Bicester, held a charity auction at The Fairview pub in Headington in memory of Freddie.

Landlord Glyn Millard also shaved off his hair – including ponytail – and beard to help out.

Now the cash they raised on behalf of Support for the Sick Newborn and their Parents (SSNAP) is being donated to the hospital’s special care baby unit, allowing it to buy three new respirators.

Engineer Mr Steffens, 33, said: “Freddie was put on a respiratory unit – without it he wouldn’t have been able to breathe.

“That piece of equipment was so important in the care he received that we decided the money should be used to buy some more.

“Freddie’s death was devastating and something that we will never get over.

“We set about fundraising because of the fantastic work they do.

“Without the special care baby unit a lot more premature babies would die.

“And without charity fundraising they wouldn’t have half the incubators they have or be able to do some of the great work they do.

“We hope the respirators they buy in Freddie’s name will help other sick babies and some good can come from the tragedy we have experienced.

“Without their amazing support we wouldn’t have had the five weeks with Freddie that we did.”

About 1,000 babies – or one in 10 of those born at the John Radcliffe – require specialist treatment.

SSNAP was formed 26 years ago and raises £120,000 a year for the special care baby unit.

The charity also has a team of 12 volunteers who provide a network of emotional support for bereaved parents.

SSNAP manager Julie Da Silva-Moore, 45, whose five-year-old son Jorge was also treated in the special care baby unit, said: “The amount of money the Steffenses raised is really magnificent and will go to help a lot of sick babies in the future.

“The equipment will be used on a daily basis to monitor the oxygen levels of premature babies, which is a critical element of the nursing care.

“We rely on people’s generosity because we don’t receive any funding from the NHS. Unfortunately, due to cuts in the NHS, the equipment the unit requires is not always available.

“All the equipment they need has to be state-of-the-art and we will assist them to purchase this as best we can.”