World Prematurity Day helps to raise awareness of the 14 million babies who are born too soon each year and over a million sadly don't make it.

Irish Premature Babies support families in need and buy life saving equipment for the hospitals around Ireland.

Sean was joined by Jen Crawford, Director of Irish Premature Babies and Terri O’Sullivan, who's second baby was born premature at 25 weeks, weighing only 800 grammes.

To find out more about their work and fundraising details please log on to www.irishprematurebabies.com

The organisation donated over €200,000 of life-saving equipment to hospitals since 2009 and has seen the numbers turning to them soar by 3005 over the past year.

Director Jen Crawford says that having a baby brings huge hidden costs.

“We recently helped one Offaly family whose baby was in hospital in Dublin for 76 days. They spent over €2,000 on things like transport, parking, accommodation and care for their older child. If we can get the parents through the initial crisis with a roof over their heads and food in their bellies so that they can care for and enjoy their baby, that’s the main thing.”

The charity is also now renovating rooms for families to use while their child is in hospital, they have established one in Crumlin and next they will set up one in University Hospital Cork.

Listen back to the interview here: