Our beautiful baby son, Gabriel, was born on Wednesday 17th of June, but we never got to take him home.  We have never known pain like it.  What pain could be worse than your baby dying before they have even lived?  A life unlived, memories unmade, laughter unheard... all the hopes and dreams we had for our family turned to ashes.

The only pain worse would be if we had nothing of Gabriel.  Many years ago this was the case for families like ours.  The baby would be whisked away quickly, un-named, unmarked and unmourned by anyone except their stricken parents.  This is how SiMBA came to be.  A group of families came together to change things.  Why should their precious babies go unacknowledged and the depth of their grief be denied?  

Thanks to SiMBA, we did not go home completely empty handed.  We have a memory box and in that box are some of the most important things we possess.  Treasures such as a lock of Gabriels hair in a little box, hand prints and foot prints on paper and imprints in clay in a nice frame to keep them safe.  We have the twin of the little blue knitted teddy which is keeping Gabriel company on the next part of his journey.  We have beautiful photographs.  Lots of little things which mean so much because they are physical links to Gabriel, and will help us to remember just how small and perfect and beautiful he was and will always be.  These boxes are available in 3 versions to be appropriate for all stages of pregnancy loss; to acknowledge the existence of even the tiniest little babies and the love they took with them.

There is an option to specifically support the ongoing provision of these memory boxes, but we have decided for now to focus our fundraising efforts in Gabriel's name on the project to provide another Family Room at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley - where he was born.  Tragically, on the night Gabriel was born another family were going through the same nightmare and were already using the Family Room, so we never got to really benefit from it ourselves.  We were in there for the final night of my hospital stay, and Jonny was able to stay overnight with me on a sofa-bed.  The room is really lovely and well equipped to make Mum and family as comfortable as they possibly can be at such an awful time. 

So many people have expressed their love and wish to help since Gabriel was born and this is how.  Help us to help other families who are living out their worst nightmare.  Help us to make sure Gabriel makes a positive impact on the world.  Help us to make sure he is remembered as the unique, beautiful and wonderful little human he was.

Thank you for any contribution you can make to this great cause.  Where the wee man himself has lead, let many others follow...

Laura & Jonathan 

xxx

From SiMBA:

In 2018 we unveiled our Family Rooms in the Labour suite of the Royal Alexandra Hospital, we are now fundraising to allow us to install a Family Room in the Neonatal Unit, Royal Alexandra Hospital. By installing this room we are ensuring that the same support is available for anyone who loses a baby at any stage of pregnancy or close to the time of birth; that every family has access to the same vital facilities.SiMBA Family Rooms offer families the opportunity to spend precious time with their baby in a peaceful and private setting. A place where precious memories can be made, pictures taken. A place where siblings, family members and friends can also visit and meet baby. Through the Lola Commons fund for SiMBA we encourage community involvement and we would like to invite parents, families, hospital staff, local businesses and corporate connections to join together and play a key role in the refurbishment designs and room content. Thank you for supporting this project.