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Indie's Gift

StaceyM

By StaceyM
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StaceyM Newbie

StaceyM

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Posted

Hello all,

 

I'd like to bring to your attention the charity I have started in my daughters memory.

She sadly passed away in November.
She was born 11 weeks early and spent most of her life in hospital, however did come home as a healthy, albeit tiny little girl.

When she passed away, it caused untold devastation, but I couldn't let her death be for 'nothing'. Something positive had to come from our heartache, and as such Indie's Gift was created.
 

The 17th October 2013, was the happiest day of our lives, Indie was able to come home. Weighing in at a tiny 4lbs, but perfect in every way.

Coming home was incredibly special, not only because we had a healthy, beautiful daughter but we have 2 other children, whose life had also been turned upside down by Indie's sudden arrival. It meant our life could resume some normality; I would be able to spend time with all my children, rather than split between SCBU and home.

The following weeks were full of doctor’s appointments, hospital visits, health visitor appointments etc, but everything went well. Indie was gaining weight, albeit slowly, she was getting there.

On the 22nd November 2013, our lives were to change forever.

Our perfect little girl passed away at 3:50am.

 

As a mum, this makes me feel cheated.
Cheated because we did all the 'hard work'. The minutes, hours, days, weeks sat by the incubator praying she would make it through, Indie proving what stern stuff she was made of by making the 'perfect' recovery, for her to stolen away from us when she was just settling into our family.

Personally, I've had every range of emotion for a human to possibly feel.
Anger, desperation, sadness, helplessness, sorrow, devastation to name but a few, but as the days turned into weeks since Indie passed, the overwhelming feeling I had was one of gratitude. Grateful that I got those precious 11 weeks with my daughter.
 

Without the support of doctors and nurses at all 3 hospitals that we resided in, we would not have had those 11 weeks and I felt compelled to do something, anything to be able to pay back what they gave us. Nothing will ever be enough for these unsung saints in the hospital SCBU/NICU departments, but if we could just do something to help. After a few days of thinking, Indie's Gift was born.

 

Our aim is to provide ClothPacks and NeoPacks to the SCBU/NICU in order to help ease a tiny portion of the stress facing parents of children who start life in SCBU.

Our ClothPacks will contain:
1 Vest

1 Sleepsuit/Babygro
1 Hat

1 Set of Mittens
& 1 Blanket

 

These items are NOT provided for babies on the NHS. These items are sometimes available in SCBUs from donations they receive from other parents; our aim is to have a pack available for every baby that enters the SCBU.

 

We also aim to provide a NeoPack for parents of SCBU babies, this will contain:

Shower Gel

Shampoo

Face cloth

Tooth brush

Toothpaste

Hot Chocolate

Cereal Bar

Notepad & Pen Information and Support Sheets

 

These items may seem small or even trivial, but when you’re thrown into a situation that you have no control over, the last thing on your mind is to sort these little essential items out. To be able to have a wash and brush your teeth is simply the best feeling - from someone who has personally been in the situation, it really is!

Hereford County SCBU will be the first to benefit from our charity.
 

I am a mum on a mission, to help other parents and babies that find themselves in the same position as I did, and hopefully be able to support them with the essentials, as well as an email advice/support service.

 

I started this alone, and do everything for this entirely by myself. I am hoping to gather more support for Indie's Gift, ultimately our aim for 2014 is to raise the £5,000 needed to apply to become a registered charity.

If you have any of the items on the list that you would like to donate, I would be ever so grateful. I would also welcome any fundraising idea's you may have!
I have no experience in working within/running a charity, so please bare with me as I'm learning as I go!

 

Our website is: www.indiesgift.co.uk - There is a gallery and also an 'About Us' section which has a more detailed story; maybe have some tissue handy? and our Facebook page is www.facebook.com/indiesgift

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I look forward to hearing from some of you soon.
 

Stacey Martin.
Indie’s mummy.

Frank Smith Rookie

Frank Smith

Posted
Posted

Hello Stacey and welcome to HV. I have read your story and I would like to offer my sincere condolences for your loss. I think what you are doing will be an inspiration to other parents and I wish you all the luck in the World.

 

SCBU is an under funded department in many hospitals not just Hereford and your kind idea I am sure can only help!

 

I don't have a lot of money but I would like to make a small donation, it will all add up. I will have a read through your links when I get back from visiting my elderly mum later this evening.

 

Once again welcome to HV.

Colin James Newbie

Colin James

Posted
Posted

Welcome to HV Stacey. I can only echo the words that Frank has written above, you are a true inspiration to others, I will also make a donation. Good luck with setting up your charity, I am sure someone on here will point you in the right direction.

Biomech Newbie

Biomech

Posted
Posted

You best bet for success is to get registered as a charity. People are, rightly, reluctant to donate money to a "page" or "website" setup whatever the cause.

Registering as a charity not only gives you credit, but is a requirement for corporate donations to be written off against profit - so without it, you probably won't get m/any donations from businesses.

Ubique Newbie

Ubique

Posted
Posted

Stacy , my sincere condolences for your sad loss. It's very commendable what you are doing after such a sad time .I can fully understand why you are.

 

I can only agree with Biomech that the sooner you make application for Charity status or join up with a local Charity which is acceptable to you and your aims the more trusting people will be - having said that , I do not believe that you are trying to con the public in any way ,shape or form .

 

I will be in contact with your website in the near future. It's such a wonderfull initiative which must succeed .

StaceyM Newbie

StaceyM

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thank you for your kind words and condolences.

 

Firstly; our aim is to become a registered charity, but we need to raise £5,000 to do so. We have events planned and in planning currently to hopefully reach this target by the end of the year.

Please do not think I am scamming; I most certainly am not and would welcome anyone in for a cup of tea and explain our story personally, if you're in Belmont, pop by!

 

My main reason for posting here wasn't for financial contributions, but more to get our charity name out into the community, so people are aware if us and talk about us. Maybe when they're doing their weekly shop, they pick up a toothbrush or a bottle of body wash to donate etc.

I'm incredibly grateful to anyone who does wish to donate, but that's not my sole purpose of posting here.

 

I'm hoping local people will get behind me to support their local unit.

 

You can help by donating your time, by sharing information about indies gift across social networks/ friends/ family or by helping with fundraising ideas. It's not all about the money at all, I'm sorry if that was the impression you got.

 

Sx

  • 3 weeks later...
StaceyM Newbie

StaceyM

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hi all,

Just thought I would update you on Indie's Gift.
I did a live radio interview with BBC Hereford and Worcester today, which went very well.
You are able to hear this here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/player/p01qfbj0 (If you fast forward to 1hr38min)
I would also like to ask, if anyone knows who I need to contact re: hiring Northolme community centre for a fundraising event I have planned? The telephone number listed on google doesn't seem to work.

 

Kind Regards,
Sxx
 

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