WISHH, the official charity of Hull Hospitals, is proud to announce the successful completion of its Baby Loss Appeal, which has raised £100,000 to enhance bereavement facilities within Hull Women and Children’s Hospital.
The appeal has funded the full refurbishment of the Bereavement Suite, which supports more than 100 families each year. The newly improved suite provides a peaceful, homely and private environment where families can spend precious time with their baby and create lasting memories during an incredibly difficult time.
According to nationally published data, there are as many as 441 miscarriages, stillbirths and neonatal deaths each day in the UK. Each loss is devastating, which is why the work of Hull Hospitals’ Early Pregnancy Unit and Maternity Bereavement Team is so important in supporting families through miscarriage, medical complications, stillbirth and neonatal death and why WISHH was committed to raising funds for much needed local improvements.
Further work is well underway across the hospital, including the renovation of six quiet rooms and improvements to the entrance and exit of the Early Pregnancy Unit. These changes aim to provide greater privacy and reduce the number of encounters bereaved families may have with other expectant parents and newborn babies.
The refurbished Bereavement Suite is now a self-contained, home-from-home environment, including a bedroom, living area, clinical room, catering and bathroom facilities. The suite has been designed with privacy and comfort in mind, including soundproofing to minimise distress from surrounding clinical areas.
Families currently receive news about the loss of their baby through a number of different services within the Women and Children’s Hospital. The ongoing improvements to quiet rooms throughout the hospital will help the hospitals aim to ensure that all bereaved parents are supported in appropriate, sensitively designed spaces where they can process their news and make decisions with the support of specialist staff.
Sue Lockwood, Chair of Trustees of the WISHH Charity, said: “When the Maternity Bereavement Team approached WISHH with their vision for improving care for bereaved families, Trustees had no hesitation in launching the Baby Loss Appeal and supporting the fundraising campaign. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who donated and helped us reach our £100,000 target. Thanks to their generosity, families will now benefit from facilities that provide comfort, dignity and privacy at the most difficult time imaginable.”
WISHH Chief Executive Carl Wheatley, said: “Nothing can take away the pain of losing a baby. However, for families facing the loss of a pregnancy after 14 weeks’ gestation, having access to a calm, comfortable and thoughtfully designed space—alongside compassionate support from the bereavement team—can make a meaningful difference. We are eternally grateful to our fundraisers and sponsors who have made the renovations possible for the benefit of local families in Hull and the East Riding.”