Little Jorgie Faith Griffin will not mark her first birthday by opening numerous gifts like most babies, because she ‘has the best gift anyone could have - her life’!

The family from Abercarn have asked for donations to the charity that helped Jorgie following her premature birth last year, instead of gifts to mark her birthday.

Her grateful mum, Lucy, said: “This year we will not be giving Jorgie any gifts for her first birthday - instead we will be donating to the charity, and we are kindly asking our family and friends to do the same. It is a big decision deciding not to give her any presents on her birthday but it’s worth it.

“Jorgie already has the best gift anyone could have and that’s life thanks to the input of these amazing people. We are doing this because Jorgie already has the best gift she could ever wish for and that is life, thanks to the input of the Wales Air Ambulance; she doesn’t need material things to prove and show she is loved.”

Jorgie, who was named Faith after the Wales Air Ambulance gave her family ‘faith’, by airlifting her back home from Cornwall following her unexpected birth, will celebrate her birthday on 8 July.

She was born six weeks early when her family arrived in Cornwall for a camping holiday. Jorgie’s dad, Andy, was working in Cornwall at the time and the family including her siblings Riley, 7, and Millie, 4, travelled from their home to meet him. Following her difficult birth she spent 11 days in hospital.

In her short life Jorgie has had a rough ride including battling sepsis, jaundice and developing a dairy intolerance. Despite her difficult start to life little Jorgie is thriving and has met all her milestones.

At nearly a year old Jorgie has just started to stand on her own and the family think it won’t be long before she takes her first steps.

Jorgie’s proud mum, said: “Even though sleep is minimal with Jorgie, she’s teething at the moment, I still wake up most nights and look over at her in her cot to watch to see if her little belly is going up and down. We were so close to losing her and I still think sometimes how could I have got that lucky?! Is something going to go wrong? I’ll never be able to give enough or get enough donations to show my gratitude to the Wales Air Ambulance.”

Jorgie’s auntie Kelly Griffin, said: “We think it is an amazing gesture to be able to give back to the Wales Air Ambulance. We will be forever grateful for everything they did for Jorgie and she may not have been able to celebrate her first birthday without them. Presents are only material things, all she needs is love and we all have buckets of that to give her. She is a precious gift.”

Despite her unexpected arrival, whilst on a camping trip, the family haven’t been put off camping, they took Jorgie on her first camping trip at 7 weeks old and they plan to go camping for Jorgie’s first birthday.

Jorgie is adored by her older siblings, Riley is Jorgie’s best friend and she’s ‘obsessed with him’, whilst Millie is a little ‘mother hen’.

The Griffins' friends and family have been very supportive and the fundraiser hit its £200 target in just five days. Jorgie’s parents upped the target to £300 and will donate the £100 they would’ve normally have spent on her birthday presents to the Charity on her first birthday. To date the fundraiser has raised £220.

Lucy is also selling items to raise more money for the lifesaving charity.

Mark Stevens, fundraising manager for the Wales Air Ambulance, said: “Happy first birthday to Jorgie. We are touched to hear her family have chosen to ask for donations in lieu of present for her special birthday. Is it lovely to hear that from the tiny baby that the Children’s Wales Air Ambulance transferred back to Wales that she’s now thriving and nearly walking one-year-old. We wish her a happy and healthy future.”

There are several ways that the public can continue to support the Wales Air Ambulance. These include online donations, signing up to the Charity’s Lifesaving Lottery or by coming up with their own innovative ways to fundraise at home. Further information can be found via www.walesairambulance.com. 

Alternatively, a £5 text-message donation can be made by texting the word HELI to 70711.