Rayna flies home by medical escort after being born six weeks early in Athens
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
Richa and her husband, from Maidenhead, had travelled to Athens for a short break before the arrival of their second child, a final few days away before life at home changed.
Instead, those changes came sooner than anyone had planned.
At 34 weeks pregnant, Richa went into labour unexpectedly. Their daughter, Rayna, was born prematurely, more than 2,000 miles from home, and admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit at REA Maternity Hospital in Athens.
What should have been a gentle beginning became something else entirely.
The family were suddenly navigating an unfamiliar hospital system, processing the shock of a premature birth, and trying to understand what came next, all while trying to focus on their newborn. They were far from home, far from support, and facing a situation they hadn’t prepared for.
They had travel insurance. It should have helped. But when it came to arranging a safe air transfer back to the UK for a premature baby, it wasn’t something the insurer could complete. And so they found themselves in the kind of gap no one expects to fall into, where there are systems in place, but none of them quite reach you.
With limited options and growing uncertainty, they didn’t know where to turn. That’s when Lia’s Wings stepped in, and things began to move.
Working closely with the family, Lia’s Wings organised a medically supported journey home. Rayna travelled on a commercial medical escort flight from Athens to the UK, carefully arranged to meet her needs. She didn’t require a full air ambulance, as she was stable and strong enough to travel safely by medical escort. Two neonatal nurses, Clare and Iva, accompanied her, using specialist equipment to monitor her throughout the journey and ensure she remained well cared for at every step.
At the same time, everything was being prepared in the UK. A bed was secured at Wexham Park Hospital near Slough, and a full clinical handover was completed in advance, ensuring there would be no interruption to Rayna’s care on arrival.
When Rayna landed, her grandparents were waiting at arrivals to meet her. She was then transferred straight into a team that was ready and waiting for her.
From there, things began to settle. Rayna continued to make good progress and was soon well enough to be discharged home.
Today, she is nine months old and thriving, and reflecting on their experience, her family are so grateful for Lia’s Wings support.
In their own words:
"We are incredibly grateful to Lia’s Wings for everything they did for our family. It’s hard to believe it’s already been eight months since Rayna was brought home under their care. At such a frightening time, they stepped in when no one else could and even helped connect us with our local hospital and NICU team so Rayna’s care could continue seamlessly once we returned. We will always be thankful for the kindness and support of the whole team."
