Parents raise money for the Eden Suite in memory of daughter

Fiona and Kieran Healy’s baby daughter Charlotte was born in March 2018 but sadly didn’t survive. Fiona and Kieran spent time on the Eden Suite, Heartlands Hospital’s bereavement unit, with Charlotte and have now raised money to support the work that they do.

At their 20 week scan, Fiona and Kieran found out that Charlotte was suffering with Encephalocele meaning that some of her skull hadn’t formed properly and some of her brain tissue was actually forming outside of the skull.

The two made the very difficult decision to end their pregnancy and after a hard birth, Charlotte was born at 23 weeks and six days on the Eden Suite.

Fiona said: “I am so thankful that we were looked after on the Eden Suite because the care really can’t be faulted.

“Obviously I wish I had never walked through the doors, but if I had to choose I could not have chosen a better place. Throughout our whole stay the team really couldn’t do enough for us, nothing was too much trouble.”

The couple decided to host a charity football tournament at Moseley Cricket Club with 11-a-side teams, a raffle and other activities for people to take part in. They beat their original target of £500 and managed to raise an incredible £3,750 for the Eden Suite!

Fiona and Kieran decided this was the perfect time to raise money and awareness as the event was held around Charlotte’s first birthday. Fiona said: “This is a perfect opportunity to give something back to this department to help make the facilities a little better for another couple who unfortunately will have to use this ward just like we did.”

Sian Averill, Fundraising Manager at Heartlands Hospital Charity, said: “A huge thank you to Fiona and Kieran for choosing to raise money for the Eden Suite after their little girl passed away. We at the Charity and the staff on the Eden Suite are so grateful for the money raised.

“The money will be going towards making the Eden Suite look more inviting and less clinical so more families feel more comfortable in the suite in the future.”

To find out more about the Eden Suite, please click here.

Pictured: Kieran Healy, Fiona Healy, their daughter Emily, and Bereavement Nurse Claire Beesley.