A place to grieve in peace at Wansbeck General Hospital

Feb 17 2010 by Helen Rae, The Journal

Case Study: How the room will help parents

FOR Sara Appleby she sadly knows first-hand the importance of a room for grieving parents.

The 28-year-old, pictured above, is one of the members of the Teardrop Support Group who has been involved in the Willow Room.

Sara started attending the group after losing her son, who was stillborn, in December 2007.

She was in full labour when she found out her little boy – who was named Jack – had died.

“It was such a shock when it happened,” said Sara, of Bedlington, Northumberland.

“I then had to go on to give birth and even though I knew Jack had passed away, in the back of my mind I still hoped I would hear his cry.”

Sara, who is a travel agent, added: “I’d seen a leaflet about the Teardrop Support Group however I wasn’t planning to go along.

“My mum suggested I should and I’m so pleased I did because everyone had been through a similar thing to me such as a miscarriage or a stillbirth. The group helped a great deal. I had my family and friends around me but people don’t fully understand what you’re going through.”

Sara and her husband, David, 36, already had a son, Callum, now seven, before they lost Jack. The couple had another son Rhys in May last year.

As the Willow Room was not in operation when Sara lost Jack, she was moved to a quiet side of the delivery suite so she could still be cared for by the midwives but she was not next to women who had just given birth.

Now, the woman and her husband, partner or family member would be able to stay in the Willow Room which provides everything they would need.

Sara said: “The staff were amazing when it happened to me and they did all they could for me but it will be much better now when there is a dedicated room.

“It has a really nice feel to it and will help comfort families at a time when they truly need it.”