10:00am Thursday 17th June 2010
A COUPLE whose daughter, Kitty, was stillborn have given a gift to ensure others in similar circumstances can get a precious lasting memory of their child.
Adelle and Richard Chisnall presented a digital camera and printer to staff in the Rosemary Suite, of Colchester General Hospital, as a thank you for the support they received after Kitty’s birth in April 2008.
Mr Chisnall said: “Our world was completely devastated when Kitty was stillborn.
“The midwifery team were fantastic and helped so much, encouraging us to spend time with our beautiful daughter.
“Stillbirth is such a taboo subject and, through the Why17? campaign, we hope to highlight how many families are affected by stillbirth and neo-natal deaths, and that money raised can help fund research to stop so many babies dying.”
In the UK, 17 babies are stillborn or die shortly after birth every day.
The Chisnalls, of Centurion Way, Colchester, have raised more than £8,000 for the neo-natal death charity Sands since they lost Kitty, with Richard and a team of family and friends running the London 10k last year.
The camera and printer were presented to senior midwife Julie Hinchcliffe, who met the couple during Adelle’s pregnancy, and Liz Barnes, obstetrics and gynaecology counsellor for the Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust.
The Rosemary Suite has been open for seven years, and provides a bedroom, kitchenette and lounge facilities for parents.
The suite already had a Polaroid camera for bereaved parents to take photographs, but the new equipment is regarded as a positive and useful addition to the suite.
Liz Barnes explained: “We get very positive feedback from couples who have used the suite.
“We’re delighted to accept a new camera and printer for the use of parents and families at this difficult but precious time.”
Seventeen babies die every day in the UK – this is a total of more than 6,200 a year.
This is four times the number of people who die of MRSA each year, and double the number killed by road accidents.
Ten times more babies are stillborn than die of cot death each year.
The stillbirth rate has remained unchanged in the UK for the past ten years.
Sands was established in 1978 by bereaved parents and attained charitable status in 1981.
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