Bereaved parents remember Rico with hospital donation

Gio and Linsey with, l-r, midwives Karen Marshall and Jane Hunter, and senior charge midwife Moira McMurdie.

Linsey and Giovanni Ferri began fundraising after they sadly lost their son, Enrico, who was stillborn at 36 weeks in June last year.

Their baby, who they call Rico, inspired them to join efforts to develop a maternity bereavement suite at Wishaw General Hospital.

It’s hoped the facility will be opened by the end of the year.

Linsey (32) and Gio (35) have taken comfort from helping to gather funds for the suite, which would provide a quiet, homely area separated from other parents and babies where bereaved mums and dads can spend some quiet time with their child.

The couple, happily now expecting another baby, set up a page on Facebook called Remembering Rico, as well as a crowd-funding site.

They also ran a Christmas Fayre at St Columba’s Parish Church in Viewpark and raised a total of £5,261.

Linsey and Gio visited Wishaw General recently to hand over a cheque to staff on ward 24, including Karen Marshall, the midwife who helped with their son’s delivery, and midwife Jane Hunter, who cared for Rico afterwards.

Linsey was delighted to hand over the cheque. She said: “Jane, Karen and their colleagues were so caring and helpful during the very difficult time we went through.

“We had such a supportive experience from everyone at Wishaw General that we were determined to do something to help the hospital.”