The Snowdrop Suite, a dedicated place for families to spend time following the loss of a baby, has had a makeover thanks to generous donations to the King George and Queen’s Hospitals Charity.

Around £16,000 was raised to improve the suite, including installing a door to allow access directly from an adjoining delivery room. This means that bereaved parents can enter the suite without having to go back onto the labour ward.

We also redecorated the room, added new lighting and a TV as well as replacing all the furniture, bedding and kitchen utensils.

A key improvement was to replace two single beds with a double. The single beds could not be pushed together, making it awkward for couples to grieve together.

A large chunk of the funding was raised by Stuart Wilks, after he and wife Sarah spent time in the Snowdrop Suite when their daughter Charlotte was stillborn in August 2016.

Stuart raised £7,000 by doing a sponsored bike ride in 2017. He’s continued to support our charity ever since, even organising his own sponsored cycling event, Pedal4Patients, in April this year.

Our charity also funded two new cold cots for our Maternity department. These allow families more time to say goodbye to their babies.

Louise Brodrick, our lead bereavement midwife, said: “It’s much nicer and more comfortable for couples, and families, and it looks amazing.

“We’ve had really positive feedback so far. Good bereavement care can have a lifelong impact so we work hard to do as much as we can for families who have lost a baby. Allowing them to stay for as long as they need in our Snowdrop Suite can make a huge difference, we also have a memory book and every family is given a memory box.”

Pictured is Louise with bereavement midwife Claire Waters in the Snowdrop Suite.