A GRIEVING couple has vowed to turn the tragedy of losing their beloved baby boy into a positive for other parents by raising money to fund baby bereavement facilities.

Laura and Matthew Izzard, from Baildon, were devastated when baby Louie Alexander Izzard was born sleeping at 25 weeks earlier this year.

The Snowdrop Suite at Bradford Royal Infirmary’s Women and Newborn Unit provided a sanctuary for them to say goodbye in peace, away from the Labour Ward.

Sadly, demand is high for the suite.  

Tomorrow (Saturday, October 15) – at the end of Baby Loss Awareness Week – the couple will walk 16 miles from Bingley to Leeds to raise money for Bradford Hospitals’ Charity, to fund a second room similar to the Snowdrop Suite. They will be joined by family, friends and midwives to walk along the Leeds Liverpool Canal.

Laura, who is also mum to two-year-old Ruby, said: “Louie was born in the early hours of July 11 and we were quickly moved from the Labour Ward to the Snowdrop Suite.

“Before this happened to us, we had never heard of the Snowdrop Suite or even knew that a Maternity Bereavement Team existed.

“The Snowdrop Suite is a larger, private room with an en-suite. The room also has a kitchenette and sofas, providing room for loved ones to visit.

"In this room you cannot hear anything going on in the nearby Labour Ward.

“We got to spend many precious hours with our little Louie and having the space and privacy of the Snowdrop Suite provided us with the isolation and safe haven from the rest of the hospital surroundings.

“We didn't realise how much we appreciated this suite as we reflected on our precious memories of holding Louie, singing to him, talking to him and capturing short moments that we'll treasure forever.

“Unfortunately the Snowdrop Suite is used more than we could have imagined, so we want to raise as much as possible for the maternity bereavement team to help future families by creating a second suite.

“We cannot thank our bereavement midwife, the midwives present and other professionals enough who looked after us and comforted us on the worst day of our lives.

"Not only do we want to raise money for the suite, but we want to raise awareness of the difficult work that the bereavement team do, and we want to honour our son, Louie Alexander Izzard - forever loved by us all.”

Anyone wishing to donate to support the walk should visit http://www.justgiving.com/WalkForLouie