UPDATE: Firstly, a huge THANK YOU to everyone who has donated to the 'forget-me-not' room at Royal Surrey County Hospital. 

Secondly, October 15th was International Baby Loss Awareness Day.  To raise the profile of Surrey Sands, awareness of stillbirth and neonatal death and funds for the new maternity suite at RSCH we organised the Surrey Circular Cycle Challenge: 150miles over 3 days starting on IBLA Day through all the major towns in Surrey to include up to 20 friends and family.  Cyclists include: James Avery, Andy Nicholas, Justin Woodington, Lee Kemp, Paula Coates, Emma Haselden, Helen Hannah, Nina Cerullo, Helen Jermy, Zoe Cunningham, Ben Jeffries, Vanessa Lanham, Joyce & John Turton, Steffen Krause, Roy Howard, Alastair Greenan, Julie & Matt Lawrence & Nicky Broadwell

To read more on this Challenge please see our website:http://www.cycleforsands.co.uk

Finally, a group of family and friends took part in the London 10km race on Sunday 12th July 2009 in a further effort to raise money towards this worthwhile project: Victoria Avery, James Avery, Jackie Avery, Mick Avery, Jennifer Turner, Caroline Nicholas, Andy Nicholas, Justin Woodington & Jen Fry. Well done to all!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear family, friends and supporters,

As many of you know our son Benjamin Michael Avery died on 29th March 2009 before he was born.  Ben was born asleep at 3.10am on 31st March 2009 weighing 5lb 8oz exactly one week before his due date.  We love him very dearly and although we did not get to share life with him outside the womb we have shared love with him over the last 9 months, today and forever more.

Ben was so beautiful, he shared his Mummy's lips and small ears and his Daddy's nose.  He was tall (46cm) with long legs, and had big but delicate, soft hands and feet with long fingers and toes and a full head of dark brown hair.  He looked so at peace and we cherished the hours that we spent as a family saying our goodbyes.  He was more that we could have ever wished for and we are enormously proud to call him our Son.

Findings suggest that were were just very unlucky and the umbilical cord was tight around his neck.  This cause of death affects 2-4% of still births.  1 in 200 still births occur after 24 weeks gestation, this is 10 times more that cot death.  1 in 1000 still births occur at full term like Ben. 

Ben was born at Royal Surrey Hospital.  We used the existing Alice Bereavement Room  which is very small and clinical.  It is also situated in the maternity ward with all the associated noise of happier arrivals.  

It is Royal Surrey’s wish to create a brand new bereavement suite to provide better facilities and enable professional, specialist support and advice to take place in a quieter, more homely space.  Surrey Sands has been working closely with Royal Surrey since June 2008 to raise £40k to achieve this aim and we are very grateful for any donation towards the project. 

It is intended that the new ‘Forget-Me-Not Suite’ will provide a larger delivery room with sleeping area for both parents, an en-suite bathroom and an adjoining nurses room so that the baby can remain close by.  They also hope to provide space for siblings to play which will allow precious time together as a family. 

If you would like to support the new ‘Forget-Me-Not Suite’ and give other parents in a similar situation to us, a tranquil, private setting, your contribution will make a significant difference to a great number of families.

Any surplus fundraising will go towards the other 6 hospital bereavement suite projects.

Thank you,

James and Victoria Avery

For more information please visit:
http://www.surrey-sands.org.uk/