Comfort for mums who have lost a baby
A SCHEME which provides memory boxes for couples who have lost babies or suffered a still birth is being introduced to Huntingdonshire.
Joshua's Boxes are named after baby Joshua Beavan from North Wales who died aged four days in 2003 after being born with a rare heart complaint.
Roz Starkey, from Alconbury Weston, is helping to organise fundraising for the scheme to be extended to the maternity unit at Hinchingbrooke Hospital.
The mother of three, who has suffered three miscarriages while trying for a fourth child, told The Hunts Post: "It helps to have something tangible to keep and it also is a way of giving people information about support groups that they can take with them and look at when they want to."
Amanda Buckenham, from Huntingdon, a mother of two who has suffered several miscarriages and has set up a support group in Huntingdon, said a box would have helped her.
"It would have been nice to have had something to remember my baby by." Joshua's mother took a lot of photographs of him and she found that helped, that's why there are suggestions for photographs in the box.
"A lot of parents don't realise they are allowed to do that. Some people think the baby belongs to the hospital. People can spend time with their babies but some people think they are not allowed to. Not every mother will want to do this, but the majority do."
Joshua's Boxes are in pastel colours and are in three sizes, for early loss, mid-term loss and full-term or neo-natal loss.
The boxes, which will be made up locally, contain a disposable flash camera and a list of suggestions for pictures, a cuddly toy, a hand-knitted hat and blanket, a plastic wallet for nail and hair clippings, a little box for precious things, a list of useful websites and addresses, a card from the charity and a thank you slip to all the organisations who support it.
A charity quiz night to raise money to buy the boxes for Hinchingbrooke Hospital takes place on Friday, May 18 at the Medway Centre in Huntingdon.
INFORMATION: The quiz night starts at 8pm. Teams of up to six people are invited to join. Tickets are £4.50 per person including soup and a roll. There will be a raffle, tea, coffee and cakes for sale. Bring a bottle if you wish. To book, call Roz Starkey on 01480 890465. To contact the Huntingdon Miscarriage Support Group, call Amanda Buckenham on 01480 384538 or e-mail Abuckenham@aol.com
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