Raised: 225%
Target: £5,000.00
Raised so far: £11,234.18
Donate now

My story

 

UPDATE: A huge THANK YOU to everyone who has donated and enabled me to exceed my £5k target.  I am immensely grateful.

If you would like to see the combined fundraising total towards the £40k target please visit www.justgiving.com/surreysands-royal-surrey .  Further donations would still be very welcome. 

James's page for his sponsored swim can be found at www.justgiving.com/surreysands-jamescook

Dear family, friends and supporters

As many of you know, we lost our longed for daughter, Emily Jane, on 7th December 2002.  She was 8 days late and I was in full labour when we discovered her heart had stopped beating.  We will never know why our little girl died, but that day changed our lives forever. 

Last year I volunteered through Surrey Sands, part of National Sands (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Charity) to help Royal Surrey in its care and support of bereaved parents.  We are all volunteers, being part of a group that none of us wanted to belong to.  Run by bereaved parents for bereaved parents the group is totally self-funded with all monies raised going entirely on support services. 

Since March I have taken on a Committee role and am now the Hospital Liaison Co-ordinator covering 7 maternity units across the County.  In this, our 25th anniversary year, we have embarked on a very special Hospital Support Project to either refurbish or create a dedicated Bereavement Room in each hospital. 

It is crucial in those first few hours, or days, to be able to spend precious time with your baby creating memories that have to last an entire lifetime.  It is important to have a dedicated room cocooned away from the noise of happier arrivals to provide grieving parents with a sanctuary. 

At Royal Surrey, where Emily was born, there is an existing room called the ‘Alice Suite’ which is very close to the main maternity wards and is a small, rather clinical room.  The Hospital would like to create a new ‘Forget-Me-Not Suite’ providing a larger bedroom area, a proper en-suite bathroom and a nurses room so that baby can remain close to its parents.  We would also hope to provide space for Dad to sleep and for siblings to play.  The latest costings for this project are in the region of £40k.

We cannot bring our Emily back.  She is part of our family but just not with us in person.  Not a day goes by when we don’t think about her or wonder what she would be like at her age and what she would be doing.  It is difficult to describe the pain of losing a child for there is no word to describe it.  It lives with us forever.  Through my work with Surrey Sands I hope to bring some comfort to those who have to endure what we went through and in so doing make something positive come from something so tragic. 

If you would like to support me in creating a new ‘Forget-Me-Not Suite’ and give other parents a tranquil, private setting, I, and those to come, will be most grateful.  Your contribution will make a significant difference to a great number of families.

Thank you.
Wendy

For more information please visit:
www.surrey-sands.org.uk
www.why17.org

Note 1 - Royal Surrey is also raising money towards this project.  Any monies raised through this Justgiving page in excess of the amount required for the project will be donated to Surrey Sands to support other parents and hospitals within Surrey.

Note 2 - Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to donate: Sands gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.  All monies donated will go to Surrey Sands in aid of the ‘Forget-Me-Not Room’.  The Gift Aid element will be retained by National Sands to support their work which includes research into the causes of stillbirth.

There is no word……………………………….

A woman who loses her husband is called a widow.

A man who loses his wife is called a widower.

A child who loses its parents is called an orphan.

There is no word to describe a parent who loses a child, for there is no word to describe the pain.

Sorry it took me so long to donate - your are just amazing Wendy. Donation by Sara Metson 01/11/09  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

So pleased you've well exceeded your target! Keep on with the good work - you are a blessing to so many. Donation by Trevor and Jayne 24/06/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

You're doing an amazing job. With love from us all. Donation by Amanda, Ian, Jack & Elise 04/05/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Well done Wendy, keep it up! Donation by Cait, Simon, Luke, Niamh & Sorcha 30/04/09  

£30.00 + £8.46 Gift Aid

Congrats on the amazing total collected so far. Donation by The Harkies 24/02/09  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Good luck with the project. Donation by Dawn, Andy, Maria & Victoria 17/02/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

well done to James for such a big swim Donation by Chris Edwards 08/01/09  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Keep going Wendy! Donation by Anonymous 06/01/09  

£500.00 + £141.03 Gift Aid

Something to get 2009 started, good luck with this excellent work Wendy. Love from the Herrings xx Donation by Richard and Fiona 05/01/09  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

A little Christmas gift - well done Wendy Donation by Helen & Brian Perry 20/12/08  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

So proud of you - as always. Donation by Jill Katie Jack and Sam 11/12/08  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

You are a star, we are really proud of you, love and hugs. Go Cookie Go. XXXXXX Donation by Auntie Helen 02/12/08  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

Good luck with the swim James.Hope you make it. Well done!!! Donation by Janet and Henry 02/12/08  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Wendy, thank you for making this project a reality. The Alice Suite will forever be a part of our lives, so thank you from our lovely angels. Donation by Thandie & Stuart Amor 16/10/08  

£300.00 + £84.62 Gift Aid

Because we have our two lovely children - this money is to help families when they lose their little ones. Good luck with this project, Wendy. Donation by Ellen, Mark, Georgina & Cameron 08/10/08  

£200.00

with our admiration and support for what you are doing Donation by Liz and John 29/09/08  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

Wendy, so pleased that you have met and gone beyond your target. Well done. Donation by Claire & Simon Owen 29/09/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Well done Wendy. Sorry for the delay!! Donation by Louise Handley 24/09/08  

£50.00

Well done on all your hard work. Good luck Donation by Julia Richard and the boys 24/09/08  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

In memory of Emily. love from the Needells Donation by Jim, Sally, Alice, Charlie and Lizzie 20/09/08  

£30.00 + £8.46 Gift Aid

It is a wonderful project - thank you for giving us the opportunity to help, Donation by Roger and Sue 15/09/08  

£30.00 + £8.46 Gift Aid

Dear Wendy and Sean - a wonderful project which will provide much needed support and comfort Donation by Kirsty, Andrew, Susannah, Natasha and Romilly 15/09/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Dear Wendy, I admire what you're doing so much - for Emily and for other families. Love from the Blackburnsxx Donation by Lindsay and Richard Blackburn 09/09/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

You're nearly at your target Wendy, well done. A little something to help you on your way. With love from us all Donation by Sherryn, Adrian, Harry, Owen and Toby 09/09/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

No-one should have to suffer this, but a caring room is a tangable something we can all do. Thank you for the opportunity xxx Donation by Sue Dale 04/09/08  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

With love from all of us Donation by Kathy and Rob Butt 03/09/08  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

With all our love Donation by Steve & Sally Burley 02/09/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

A wonderful project that will bring comfort to many - well done you and for the memory of Emily, Kx Donation by Kim, Phil, Harley & Jensen 27/08/08  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Remembering the children who will live in our hearts always. Donation by Nicola & Family 22/08/08  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

With love. Donation by Colin & Judith 15/08/08  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid
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* Total raised online: £4,585.00
  Offline donations: £6,649.18
  Gift Aid plus supplement: £1,159.23

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Find out how much it is and what we do for it.