Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. Danny Goggin and Greig Evenett will be riding from Swindon to Paris in three days to raise funds for SANDS. Below is a message from Marie Ariyaratne from C&D Recruitment.

This is a message from Marie Ariyaratne, Senior Consultant at C&D Group:

In January 2008 we found out that we were expecting our first baby due in September 2008.  Words could not explain how excited we were and starting to plan our future as a family of three.  We first saw our baby and our 12 week scan and we found out at our 20 week scan that we were expecting a little girl and we named her Alisha. 

We knew that the pregnancy was never going to be straight forward due to ongoing health issues.  The care I received was brilliant but nothing could prepare us for what happened.  I was booked in for an induction on the 19^th September 2008, 3 days before our daughters due date. I had noticed that Alisha was not moving as much as she had done but I was not that concerned as I had read that movements do slow down as you get towards the end of a pregnancy.  When we arrived for our induction I was already having contractions and already in the very early stages of labor. I was booked into the maternity ward and waited for a midwife to start in the induction process.  When our midwife arrived she started to examine me which included listening to our daughter’s heartbeat. I explained that I had not felt Alisha move as much as she had done, after a few minutes she was struggling to find her heartbeat.  Immediately a second midwife and doctor were called but they could not find the heartbeat either.  At this point we moved straight away into a private room as we waited to go for an emergency scan.  As we entered the scanning room I could not believe that this was happening to us and could not take in what was happening.  After what seem a life time but in reality it was only a few minutes we were giving the devastating news that our baby had died.  All of our hopes and dreams for Alisha were taken away from us in an instant.  We were in shock and taken back to the maternity ward, where we were told that we had to continue with the induction process and wait for out little girl to be born. 

Alisha was born into this world on the 20^th September 2008. We were so happy and sad at the same time but so proud to have her as our daughter. As I started my physical recovery we were taken back to the post natel ward where we were given a private room.  We were lucky as the room was available, but other parents are not so lucky and are taken into a shared ward with other new born babies and their parents.  When you have just lost you child this is the last place you want to be.

 In a lot of hospitals throughout the UK , bereaved parents are taken to a bereavement suite where they can spend time with their baby and bond as a family.  Unfortunately the Great Western Hospital in Swindon do not have a bereavement.  Swindon SANDS (Stillbirth and neonatal death society) are now raising £50,000 for two rooms to be converted in a much needed bereavement suit

C&D Group will be supporting this as well as members Greig Evenett and Danny Goggin from the Swindon College Old Boys RFC providing lots of peddle power.

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