Couple raise almost £1,000 to help other bereaved parents

A grieving couple have raised almost £1,000 to support other bereaved parents after the loss of their baby daughter.

Lucy Hunt and Ben Hook, from Dunkirk, near Faversham, completed a 10-mile sponsored walk for East Kent Hospitals Charity, to be spent on the Twinkling Stars suite at the William Harvey Hospital.

It is a dedicated space for parents to spend time with their baby, supported by specialist bereavement midwives, away from the hustle and bustle of the maternity wards.

Ben and Lucy, 27, said: “We were so grateful to be able to use the suite and to make some special memories with Evie.

“Having the suite meant we could spend a little bit longer with her and that was so important.

“After her funeral we decided we were going to fundraise and we hope the money benefit other parents who sadly find themselves needing to use it.”

Lucy had a healthy pregnancy until the 20-week scan, when clinicians spotted an issue with her cervix. She was admitted to hospital twice while medics tried different interventions but they were unable to prevent her going into labour, and baby Evie was born at 22 weeks and four days.

Lucy and Ben said: “She was absolutely perfect, but she was just too small and her lungs were not fully developed so she couldn’t survive.

“She was born the day before my birthday which made it even harder.

“The bereavement midwives were absolutely amazing and are still in touch and it means a lot to know they are there if we need support.”

Lucy and Ben visited the team to hand over £960, raised from their sponsored walk from Faversham to Whitstable with Lucy’s dad, as well as a special light Lucy bought which matched one given to her and Ben as a gift.

The couple said they were devastated to think that other families will need to use the Twinkling Stars suite, but hope other parents will benefit in future from their fundraising.