£15,000 donation towards hospital bereavement suite

The Glasgow Sands stillbirth and neonatal death charity met staff recently to hand over their cheque, which will boost funding for a maternity bereavement suite, which will open soon at University Hospital Wishaw.

Elaine Hamilton, NHS Lanarkshire bereavement specialist midwife and counsellor, said: “Glasgow Sands are continually supporting our work and have underlined that commitment once again with this wonderful donation.

“Thank you to all involved in donating and raising the money, which will be going to a very worthwhile cause as this bereavement suite means so much to many.”

NHS Lanarkshire chief midwife Lyn Clyde added: “The bereavement suite will be a place of comfort to those who have sadly lost a baby after coming to the hospital to have their child.

“It will provide a peaceful, homely area separated from other parents and babies where bereaved mums and dads can spend some quiet time with their child.”

The Wishaw development has been designed using the best aspects of existing bereavement suites throughout the country and it is hoped that it will be open by the end of the summer.

Gavin Moir, Glasgow Sands befriender who presentated the cheque, said: “Our supporters in Lanarkshire and beyond pulled out all the stops to raise this funding through events like gala balls, discos, sponsored runs and many other things.

“We initially raised £10,000 then met the challenge of collecting £5000 more when it became clear through a survey of families’ views that state-of-the-art soundproofing would need to be funded to ensure the suite offers a completely peaceful space amid a busy and potentially noisy maternity department.”

Sands network co-ordinator Chris Somerville added: “We recognise the huge benefits of bereavement suites like the one that’s opening in Lanarkshire and we’d like to see one in every maternity department in the country.

“It’s great to see it happening in Lanarkshire through the passion and dedication of the maternity staff and the commitment of the members of the public who have supported them and raised so much money over recent years.”