Woman seeks sponsors for skydive in aid of King's Lynn hospital maternity bereavement suite
A woman who launched a support scheme for bereaved parents at Lynn’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital last year is now hoping to take on a skydive for the hospital.
Jo Patrick, who was an ambassador for Cradle when it launched at the QEH in November, is seeking sponsorship to pay for the skydive, which would raise funds for the hospital’s Maternity Bereavement Suite – the Lynn News’ Charity of the Year.
Jo, who has since handed over the running of Cradle at the QEH – which creates ‘comfort bags’ for bereaved parents following early pregnancy loss, said: “It went fantastically and the support was incredible.”
As she became unwell following the launch, she felt she could not commit the time needed to fundraise and support Cradle.
Jo was later invited to become part of CALM: Coping and Living with Miscarriage, based in West Norfolk.
This organisation, whose slogan is ‘If you are hurting, we are listening’, offers a bespoke artwork service, with a copy kept in the Book of Remembrance at the QEH, and parents keep the original.
Jo, who has experienced loss herself in 2018, is now also looking to help support the QEH’s Maternity Bereavement Suite.
“My loss would have been too early to have made use of a bereavement suite but I have made many friends since launching Cradle who would have really benefitted from there being one,” she said.
“It’s a necessary resource that will allow bereaved parents and their families to come together and create memories of their baby/babies before having to say goodbye.
“It has also been designed with its own exit away from the delivery suite to allow parents to leave without the cries of newborn babies behind them.”
In recent months, she has also been fundraising for a babyloss memorial garden at the QEH, with the hospital’s permission, for all bereaved parents to be able to use.
Her most recent fundraising activity was an online raffle which raised £558.
“This time I’d love to be able to raise an even bigger amount which is why I was hoping to do a skydive,” Jo said.
“Obviously this is quite costly at around £250 so I was hoping for sponsors to cover this fee so I can concentrate on raising a lot of money for the bereavement suite fund.”
The QEH’s bereavement suite was voted as the Lynn News Charity of the Year by readers earlier this year. The hospital has set a fundraising target of £185,000.
To donate directly to the Maternity Bereavement Suite fund, go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/qehmaternitybereavementsuite.
To help Jo cover the costs of a skydive, contact her via 07739 563611 or calm.jopatrick@gmail.com.
