On 1st June 2018 we delivered our beautiful, perfect, much-loved son Luke.

He was born still, with a true knot in his umbilical cord.

From the moment we discovered his heart had stopped beating two days before, we were treated with such love, respect and kindness by the staff at St Bernard’s. The midwives in particular were just incredible in the way they acknowledged our pain but helped us find the strength to give our beautiful boy the most peaceful entry into the world.

We would like to make a donation to the maternity ward in recognition of the amazing care we received. We were lucky enough to spend our time in the Serenity Room, a haven for couples undergoing miscarriage or stillbirth, separate to the rest of the ward and completely self-contained. The donation will be directed to maintain or even improve this dedicated space for couples undergoing loss.

We would also like to donate to the amazing SANDS, whose resources we found invaluable, particularly as we prepared practically and mentally for Luke’s birth, but also as we navigated how to explain the situation to our daughter Lara. They do incredible work in supporting parents and the wider family after loss, improving the care bereaved families experience, and supporting research to reduce the number of stillbirths and neonatal deaths that occur.

We are so very grateful for any donations you feel able to make.

With love,

Neil, Kat, Lara and Luke xxx

❤️Luke David Banbury. 1st June 2018❤️