After doing the 10K Great Scottish Run, in memory of Ava for Sands we decided to keep the page open for other fundraisers and donations on her birth day. Please read our story below.

On Tuesday 26th April 2016 at 8.28pm we delivered our baby girl Ava McKenna, stillborn. 

At 32 weeks we thought we were on the last stretch and were looking forward to bringing our child home safe and alive, we didn't realise that 1 in 137 babies die before they are 4 weeks old and that Ava would be one of these terrible statistics.

Being told your babies heart isn't beating anymore and then to have to deliver your lost child is the hardest thing we have ever gone through. Without the support of family, friends, midwives and SANDS we wouldn't have been able to navigate the path. 

SANDS work with the NHS providing information booklets, training for midwives, support groups and most importantly memory boxes. These boxes hold the few memories we have - footprints, blanket that the baby was held in, poems and pictures. SANDS also campaign for better resources and care and provide funds for research to help reduce the number of deaths.

We don't want anyone else to have to go through this loss, if you would like to help please donate to SANDS in memory of Ava through this JustGiving page. It is simple, fast and totally secure, your money goes directly to the charity. 

Thank you, Alex & Thomas McKenna