Couple who suffered stillbirth tragedy raise money for other bereaved parents

A couple whose son was stillborn has been selflessly fundraising to support other bereaved parents who use maternity services at Walsall Manor Hospital.

Hudson James Rubenis was born weighing six pounds and nine ounces in September 2021 after his mum Laura Wilkes and dad Dan Rubenis had been told that he had sadly died a few days earlier.

Laura’s pregnancy had progressed well with no problems but she had contacted maternity triage after being concerned that she hadn’t felt the baby move.

“He had always been quite energetic so this was a sudden change that worried me. It was just intuition for me that something might be wrong and I ended up coming into the hospital for a scan where it was confirmed that there was no longer any heartbeat.

“He was perfect when he was born; he had really beautiful lips and we couldn’t get over how long he was, as we’re not the tallest parents.

“We spent five days with Hudson, doing all the things we would have been doing if things hadn’t turned out as they did. So we bathed him, talked to him, sang to him and held him. We couldn’t stop cuddling and kissing him.”

Dan, a garage door fitter, said: “We were just cocooned together really, in our own little world, making memories. The hospital staff were amazing, letting us take as much time as we needed and supporting us throughout.

The couple, who live in Staffordshire, continued to be supported by Walsall Healthcare’s Specialist Bereavement Midwife Laura Atkinson, which they found comforting. And as they started to talk about their loss with friends and family they decided to raise funds to help others.

Dan set up a GoFundMe page and people soon supported the cause, with one friend running half a marathon. They managed enough to buy a new CuddleCot and help with the refurbishment of a bereavement room for other parents.

Laura added: “The fundraising has definitely helped us while we grieve for Hudson and the little plaque on it means others will see his name and know he was a very special little boy.”

Laura Atkinson from the hospital added: “This means the trust now has its full complement of CuddleCots – one each in the delivery suite, neonatal and gynaecology. We are so grateful as maternity bereavement services rely on charities and fundraising which many people don’t realise.”

Link to full article on Express & Star

Posted in

Glasgow mum to trek Himalayan mountains in memory of son she lost at birth

In May 2016 Amanda Trainer was looking forward to welcoming her second child, Romeo, into the world. However, medical professionals sadly could not find his heartbeat. After this harrowing experience, Glasgow’s Stillborn and Neonatal Death charity (SANDS) provided the mother with a CuddleCot and a memory box full of treasured items to help her through…

Conway Regional Health System accepts their first CuddleCot

The Conway Regional Health System in Arkansas has recently accepted its first donation of a CuddleCot. The bed was donated in memory of Memphis Keith Whitbey. Memphis was born to Rebecca and Justin Whitbey, but Memphis died on May 22, 2022. Rebecca said the family’s church and friends raised money to purchase two CuddleCots. “I…

CuddleCot is featured on TV’s ‘Eastenders’ after the character Whitney makes the tough decision to terminate her pregnancy

The CuddleCot has recently been featured on TV’s ‘Eastenders’, after the character Whitney Dean, played by Shona McGarty, makes the tough decision to terminate her pregnancy after it is revealed that her baby has Edwards’ Syndrome. Our Bereavement Consultant and Relationship Manager, Steph Wild, consulted with the producers, alongside charities Antenatal Results & Choice (ARC)…

Mum’s Royal Stoke heartbreak after giving birth to stillborn twins

A couple were provided with a CuddleCot by the Royal Stoke Hospital to take their twins Ayda and Remy home to grieve and say goodbye before the funeral. Devastated Karis Thompson has spoken of her anguish after giving birth to stillborn twins. She had experienced a ‘straightforward’ pregnancy until her waters broke at just 20…

Family make Cuddlecot donation to The Orchard Service in Worcestershire

Families in Worcestershire experiencing the loss of a baby will be able to spend more time with them thanks to the generous donation of a CuddleCot. The donation was made by the Ocego family in memory of their daughter Elsie-Rose who sadly passed away at birth. The CuddleCot enables families experiencing the loss of their…

A CuddleCot in the Reina Sofía helps parents extend the farewell of their baby

SPAIN. Natalie Claytor and Laura Segura, whose children died in childbirth, donated the CuddleCot to the centre, which has led to parents being able to spend time with their child. Society does not train, or at least bring women and men closer to face perinatal loss. Society does not want to see, hear or know…

Rain-Bowie foundation donates CuddleCot to Abbeville General

Abbeville General is offering a thank you to the Rain-Bowie Foundation, who recently donated a CuddleCot to its Labor and Delivery department. The CuddleCot allows families experiencing the unfortunate loss of their baby to spend more time with them before changes and signs of deterioration begin. Each year, about 21,000 babies are stillborn, and the…

A mother’s grief inspires her efforts for others in tragic situation

In 2017, Kelly Knauer from Merritt Island lost her baby after 20 weeks of pregnancy. What followed: anxiety attacks, postpartum depression and even a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder. “We call it the dark year,” Knauer said, relaying how it all started when she went for an ultrasound after feeling something was wrong. The doctor…

Couple donates CuddleCot to Orange City Area Health System

If parents experience a stillbirth or the death of their child, they typically only have a few hours with them. A recent donation of a CuddleCot to Orange City Area Health System can provide extra hours to days to ease the grieving process. Mackenzie and Nathan Kanis live in Washington state but met in Northwest…

Costa del Sol hospital becomes first in province to introduce CuddleCot for bereaved parents

The Costa del Sol Hospital in Marbella has become the first in Malaga province to receive the donation of a CuddleCot for parents who have lost babies during pregnancy or at birth. The introduction of the CuddleCot at the hospital’s maternity and infant area is included in the Andalusian public health system’s humanisation plan, which…

Preston dad raises £33,000 for CuddleCots following baby daughter’s death

It appears to be a joyful family scene, as two siblings play under the hospital bed while their mother tenderly cradles the family’s newest addition. But dad Sam Brown’s photograph lays bare the heartbreaking reality of baby loss, as his third child, Rosie, died shortly after her birth. The family were able to spend four…

Cuddlecot donation for better baby loss support in Preston

Parents suffering baby loss will now have time to make memories before saying their final goodbye thanks to the gift of a CuddleCot for the Children’s Ward at the Royal Preston Hospital. The CuddleCot has been jointly donated to Lancashire Teaching Hospitals’ Charity Team for its Children’s Appeal by two other children’s charities, Midlands-based Remember Rufus and…

Sisters join forces to help families grieving after miscarriage

It isn’t often that career paths cross for the Rev. Lindsay Kirkpatrick and her sister, Andrea Wursche, a registered nurse at Houston Methodist Hospital.  But when inspiration struck, the two launched an action plan to help women during one of their greatest times of need — after a miscarriage or stillbirth.  Kirkpatrick, the senior pastor…

Freeman Health System receives CuddleCot donation

An Arkansas couple made a donation of a CuddleCot to the Freeman Health System. Michelle and Dusty Hurst donated the CuddleCot after losing two newborns themselves. Michell says, “Don’t let anyone tell you that how you’re grieving is right or wrong, there is no right or wrong. Do what you need to do to help…

Letham couple donate CuddleCot in memory of daughter they lost

A grateful mum was determined to help other parents after suffering the devastating loss of her baby. Linzi Govan’s third daughter, Maci, was born almost 14 weeks early on September 9 this year. Despite the efforts of medical staff in Glasgow and at Forth Valley Royal the tiny tot lost her fight for survival in…

Family donates cooling cradle to Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital

ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) – A family that has lived through the tragedy of losing a newborn child is making sure that others in a similar situation have the chance to say goodbye. Baby Asher’s family honoured what they call his “heavenly birthday” on Tuesday, December 20th with a donation of a CuddleCot to Sentara…

Dublin mum raises money for a CuddleCot following the stillbirth of her son

Dubliner Gillian Lee and her husband Cathal O’Brien were thrilled to find out that they were expecting a baby just four months after the birth of their little girl. At 41, Gillian wanted to add to the family, and knew that time was of the essence. They already have two daughters, 15-year-old Ellarose and 2-year-old…

Family donates CuddleCot to Trueta hospital

A family has donated a CuddleCot to the Josep Trueta hospital in Girona. The couple who made the donation, Anna Sánchez and Llorenç Ramon, lost a daughter and at that time they had “six hours to be with her”. As a result of their experience, they discovered that the CuddleCot could keep babies cool. They…

Couple raise over £25,000 for bereavement suite

Louise Gray was 35 weeks pregnant when her baby son Henry was stillborn in May 2022. Just days beforehand, the expectant mum had attended a routine checkup with her midwife, Fiona O’Kane, in Magherafelt. As she lay on the bed in Thompson House at the Mid Ulster Hospital site, the experienced midwife struggled to find…

Leeds girl thanks Martin House Children’s Hospice staff for care shown when her brother died

A girl from Roundhay who lost her brother in May 2021 has decided to throw her support behind the charity that has helped her family cope with the tragedy. Mohammad Hayyan, 13, died of a rare condition at Leeds Children’s Hospital and his family have been helped with their grief by Martin House Children’s Hospice, who have a…

Leave a Comment