In memory of Rey Rosemary - Saving future little lives

I’d like to introduce myself to the fantastic members of MAMA academy, my name is Natasha and for nearly 2 years my family has been fundraising for a charity called Care of Bereaved Parents, which run by the maternity ward at Derby Royal Hospital. The heart breaking reason for our fund raising was in memory of my daughter Rey Rosemary, stillborn at 36 weeks.

On the 4th August 2017 I learned that Rey’s heart had suddenly stopped beating. I was having a normal routine scan in preparation for a c section the following week. I was really excited that day, full of beans, and went into the scan with my 10 year old daughter with the assumption all was fine.

I saw the sonographer’s eyes tear up, she put her hand across her mouth and she couldn’t speak. I knew, and my first priority was my daughter Skye, who was sat there watching this tragedy unfold.

I had to ring Rey’s father Paul, who was sat at home totally unaware. He had been to every scan and appointment, this was the first one he had not attended. You don’t need to come i told him, its just the usual boring checks, I’ll be in and out. This is his first child and the guilt I was experiencing was like heavy weights on my shoulders.

Once the relevant family were contacted, Skye taken home to be consoled by her nana, and Paul had arrived in a total dazed state, we began the journey of meeting professionals to make a plan. We went straight to the Butterfly Bereavement Suite to induce labour, knowing the outcome would be a baby we wouldn’t be taking home.

Since that tragic event our family have been hard at work fundraising for Care of Bereaved Parents, which is in charge of the upkeep of the Butterfly Suite and the families that use it. Also the money raised on our justgiving page went towards funding and providing Derby with the new MAMA academy maternity folders, with the fantastic vital information which has been saving babies lives!

To raise our funds we have been very busy! including hosting a black tie charity ball, doing a fire walk, and my daughter and niece did a 5K run called ‘The Jingle Jog’ dressed as little Santa’s, at just age 10 & 7 years old! We are forever grateful to our family and friends who donated in memory of our little Rey.

We love seeing pregnant ladies walking around carrying their MAMA academy folders, it feels like we get to see a little bit of Rey floating around Derby spreading her special message. The folders have been proven to be helping pregnant ladies make the right choices, and more babies arrive safely into this world. I’m happy to announce we have had our own baby, our rainbow Sam, who will learn all about his big sister Rey, and her legacy to spread awareness of baby loss.