Lighting up for baby loss
The maternity units across the hospitals in Basildon, Broomfield and Southend have been lit up by pink and blue lights as part of Baby Loss Awareness Week (9-15 October).
Lights for Basildon and Southend have been made possible thanks to donations and fundraising efforts from mums and dads who have experienced baby loss.
One of those couples is Jade Lewis, 31, and Lee Konig, 34, from Great Wakering. Their little Angel, Lewis Daniel Konig, grew his wings on August 30 2015. Never had they felt such excruciating pain before, leaving the hospital without their little boy was too hard to bare.
Jade said: “Before, during and after the birth of Lewis, we were over whelmed by the bereavement midwife’s care, and attention to detail, giving us lasting memories of our final hours with our son.
“Little hand and foot prints were taken by the midwife and Lewis was dressed so beautifully he really was our perfect sleeping angel.”
On Lewis’s 5th birthday Jade completed a 35 mile walk, raising £1,725, which was split between the maternity unit and Aching Arms. One of the things bought were the pink and blue lights.
Upon seeing the lights lit up, Jade said: “I am prouder then proud to see Southend Hospital lit up pink and blue for Baby Loss Awareness Week in memory of our son and all the little angels who were held for a moment, but loved for a lifetime.”
Other couples who have helped fund tights include Colin and Eleanor Day, from Eastwood, in memory of Charlie, Rebecca and Anil Sivarajah, from Canvey Island, in memory of Cayden and Scott and Sarah Blayney, from Hockley, in memory of Caitlyn.
Amanda Cushing, Bereavement Midwife at Southend Hospital, said: “I could not be more thankful to our Butterfly families for their continued support for the Butterfly Suite and to offer kindness and comfort to other families who are walking the same devastating path. They are all fantastic people and the fundraising all have done in memory of their little ones and to support others is amazing.
“It’s a real privilege to be able to light up our hospitals pink and blue with the help of our families, as this could not have happened without their support. We all, as maternity teams, feel blessed to have had this help, so that we can show our support of bereaved parents and remember and honour their babies in such a visible way during Baby Loss Awareness Week 2020.”