Honouring the loss of their baby by raising €5,000 for a hospital cuddle cot

By Maurice Garvey

ONE Ballyfermot family have honoured the tragic loss of their baby by raising €5,000 for a cuddle cot.

Baby Gloria Catherine McDonagh was born stillborn on April 2016, at the Rotunda hospital.

Her parents, Kathriona and Anthony, from Blackditch Road, decided to start a Go Fund Me page to raise funds to purchase a cuddle cot in her memory.

The family had the use of a cuddle cot when Gloria was born, and wanted to provide this for other parents in the same position.

Anthony said: “We had the pleasure to meet with Jacinta from Féileacáin (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Association of Ireland), and had a nice chat on what we did to raise €5,000 in memory of Gloria, and to present a cuddle cot to the Rotunda in memory of Gloria.

“The amount raised not onlygot a cuddle cot but is also going towards maintaining the cot, for one year, with memory boxes and different supports that Féileacáin provide. Before the presentation, the cot had already been used to give a family precious extra time with their angel baby.”

The married couple were joined in the Aisling Hotel by their daughter Imelda (3) who was actively involved in helping her mammy during the 34 weeks of her pregnancy.

Kathriona is now 26 weeks pregnant with another little girl, and anxiety has been exacerbated by a due date of June 1, which is close to the June 7 date that Gloria was due.

Anthony thanked staff at the Rotunda for their incredible support, and a host of local businesses for supplying prizes for a local raffle in Ballyfermot.