Honouring Jacob
Donation protected
My name is Terry Devine, above is one of my favourite images. It depicts the caring nature of my beautiful daughter preciously trying to save her brother’s life - my only son, Jacob.
On the 13th January 2017, my fiancé was due to give birth to our second child. Regrettably, tragedy struck, leading to complications with the labour and birth. Our son, Jacob, was unexpectedly breached at birth and was starved of oxygen for over twenty minutes. Hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) is damage to the brain caused by a lack of oxygen and blood flow reaching the organ. Suffering from this, Jacob was rushed to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St Michaels Hospital, Bristol, UK. Being the portliest baby on the ward, the exceptional staff fought tooth and nail to protect this fragile infant from falling into a never-ending sleep. Unfortunately, at 5 days old, I held Jacob in my helpless arms, as my fiancé clung to me - the man she looked toward for reassurance; we both stared lovingly into Jacob's strong handsome face as he fell asleep for eternity. To say we were broken is a massive understatement.
WHY?
WHY US?
Pointless questions, that supported no answer.
As a family, we were thrown into a lachrymose existence, one of pain and flashbacks. Through desperate tears and an endless longing for unattainable answers, we decided, that no matter what, we would always HONOUR our son's short but meaningful life.
No footprint is too small to leave an imprint on this earth!
Every year since, we have focused our efforts on raising funds for families that have endured, or are yet to endure, the horror of losing an innocent baby. Our contributions have made but a minimal dent in the vast amount of finances needed to provide efficient and outstanding care for poorly babies and their bereaved parents. We aim to do more! This year, it has not been possible due to the unexpected and insidious COVID19 outbreak. So next year, we must think BIG! As big as MOUNT KILIMANJARO!
In September 2022, myself and two friends, Mark and Mel, plan to climb the highest single free-standing mountain in the world - the highest mountain on the continent of Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro. We will be arriving in Moshi, Tanzania, fully prepared and well equipped for the 8-day journey ahead. Our route offers a longer period for acclimatisation and therefore a better chance to summit. As novices to mountain climbing, this will challenge us physically and test us mentally. Mount Kilimanjaro is no joke; fatalities are reported every year! Most reasonably fit individuals summit so long as they are not having any difficulty acclimatising. Therefore, preparation is key! We will be setting ourselves challenges prior to our departure to increase our fitness levels and to become comfortable with higher altitudes (these events will be part of our fundraising efforts).
The purpose of this endeavour is to raise funds for charities dear to our hearts. Charities that work tirelessly to reduce the number of babies dying and to improve care and support for anyone affected by the death of an infant. The following charities have been selected as they played fundamental roles in the care of Jacob and in transforming us into salubrious parents.
Cots for Tots
Cots for Tots is a home from home for families of sick and premature babies at Bristol’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St Michael’s Hospital , where they support the South West region's critically ill babies by providing pioneering equipment and facilities, family comforts, accommodation and more.
Cots for Tots House is our 12 bedroomed family accommodation house, minutes from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Cots for Tots House provides free accommodation 365 days per year for all family members who need to stay in close proximity to their sick baby. Imagine seeing your baby fighting for their life; being rushed into critical care within its first minutes, hours, days. Now imagine being so far from home, and not knowing when you will be able to return. This is the reality for hundreds of families from across the South West, who come to St Michael's NICU for life-saving care. Together they make a difference.
SANDS
After Jacob's untimely passing, we utilised SANDS, a local support group to foster us through the initial aftershock of losing a precious little angel. SANDS vision for the future is ‘a world where fewer babies die and when a baby does die, anyone affected receives the best possible care and support for as long as it's needed’.
Their purpose is:
~to support anyone affected by the death of a baby.
~to work in partnership with healthcare professionals to ensure that bereaved parents and families receive the best possible care.
~to promote improvements in practice and fund research to help reduce the number of babies dying.
Everything they do – the services they run, the public health messages they promote, and how they raise money – focuses on these three aims.
They also raise awareness of stillbirth and neonatal death issues and attempt to reduce the taboo associated with these deaths. They ensure every bereaved parent receives a free memory box, a gesture we received and cherish to this day; one that allowed us to capture our son’s hands and feet prints in stone forever – for that we are infinitely grateful.
How can YOU help save children's lives?
· GIVE whatever you can. ALL donations are welcome.
· SHARE on social media (#honouringjacob)
· EMAIL this page - https://www.gofundme.com/f/honouring-jacob - to your family and friends.
Where do your donations go?
Apart from Kilimanjaro National Park Fees, all monies raised will go to the two aforementioned charities where they provide specialist medical and neurological treatment, intensive care, high dependency care, special care and transitional care for hundreds of babies each year.
WE THANK YOU FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND SUPPORTING THIS LIFE-SAVING CAUSE.
With blessings,
Terry and Karen (parents of Jacob),
Sofia (Jacobs sister),
Mark (fellow climber and true family friend),
N.B. Mark has had his own experience with losing a child and did not hesitate to jump on board with this endeavour. We shall hear more of Marks story as we progress with fundraising
Mel (Fellow hiker, family friend, and voice of reason)
and of course, the person we are all honouring,
JACOB
On the 13th January 2017, my fiancé was due to give birth to our second child. Regrettably, tragedy struck, leading to complications with the labour and birth. Our son, Jacob, was unexpectedly breached at birth and was starved of oxygen for over twenty minutes. Hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) is damage to the brain caused by a lack of oxygen and blood flow reaching the organ. Suffering from this, Jacob was rushed to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St Michaels Hospital, Bristol, UK. Being the portliest baby on the ward, the exceptional staff fought tooth and nail to protect this fragile infant from falling into a never-ending sleep. Unfortunately, at 5 days old, I held Jacob in my helpless arms, as my fiancé clung to me - the man she looked toward for reassurance; we both stared lovingly into Jacob's strong handsome face as he fell asleep for eternity. To say we were broken is a massive understatement.
WHY?
WHY US?
Pointless questions, that supported no answer.
As a family, we were thrown into a lachrymose existence, one of pain and flashbacks. Through desperate tears and an endless longing for unattainable answers, we decided, that no matter what, we would always HONOUR our son's short but meaningful life.
No footprint is too small to leave an imprint on this earth!
Every year since, we have focused our efforts on raising funds for families that have endured, or are yet to endure, the horror of losing an innocent baby. Our contributions have made but a minimal dent in the vast amount of finances needed to provide efficient and outstanding care for poorly babies and their bereaved parents. We aim to do more! This year, it has not been possible due to the unexpected and insidious COVID19 outbreak. So next year, we must think BIG! As big as MOUNT KILIMANJARO!
In September 2022, myself and two friends, Mark and Mel, plan to climb the highest single free-standing mountain in the world - the highest mountain on the continent of Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro. We will be arriving in Moshi, Tanzania, fully prepared and well equipped for the 8-day journey ahead. Our route offers a longer period for acclimatisation and therefore a better chance to summit. As novices to mountain climbing, this will challenge us physically and test us mentally. Mount Kilimanjaro is no joke; fatalities are reported every year! Most reasonably fit individuals summit so long as they are not having any difficulty acclimatising. Therefore, preparation is key! We will be setting ourselves challenges prior to our departure to increase our fitness levels and to become comfortable with higher altitudes (these events will be part of our fundraising efforts).
The purpose of this endeavour is to raise funds for charities dear to our hearts. Charities that work tirelessly to reduce the number of babies dying and to improve care and support for anyone affected by the death of an infant. The following charities have been selected as they played fundamental roles in the care of Jacob and in transforming us into salubrious parents.
Cots for Tots
Cots for Tots is a home from home for families of sick and premature babies at Bristol’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St Michael’s Hospital , where they support the South West region's critically ill babies by providing pioneering equipment and facilities, family comforts, accommodation and more.
Cots for Tots House is our 12 bedroomed family accommodation house, minutes from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Cots for Tots House provides free accommodation 365 days per year for all family members who need to stay in close proximity to their sick baby. Imagine seeing your baby fighting for their life; being rushed into critical care within its first minutes, hours, days. Now imagine being so far from home, and not knowing when you will be able to return. This is the reality for hundreds of families from across the South West, who come to St Michael's NICU for life-saving care. Together they make a difference.
SANDS
After Jacob's untimely passing, we utilised SANDS, a local support group to foster us through the initial aftershock of losing a precious little angel. SANDS vision for the future is ‘a world where fewer babies die and when a baby does die, anyone affected receives the best possible care and support for as long as it's needed’.
Their purpose is:
~to support anyone affected by the death of a baby.
~to work in partnership with healthcare professionals to ensure that bereaved parents and families receive the best possible care.
~to promote improvements in practice and fund research to help reduce the number of babies dying.
Everything they do – the services they run, the public health messages they promote, and how they raise money – focuses on these three aims.
They also raise awareness of stillbirth and neonatal death issues and attempt to reduce the taboo associated with these deaths. They ensure every bereaved parent receives a free memory box, a gesture we received and cherish to this day; one that allowed us to capture our son’s hands and feet prints in stone forever – for that we are infinitely grateful.
How can YOU help save children's lives?
· GIVE whatever you can. ALL donations are welcome.
· SHARE on social media (#honouringjacob)
· EMAIL this page - https://www.gofundme.com/f/honouring-jacob - to your family and friends.
Where do your donations go?
Apart from Kilimanjaro National Park Fees, all monies raised will go to the two aforementioned charities where they provide specialist medical and neurological treatment, intensive care, high dependency care, special care and transitional care for hundreds of babies each year.
WE THANK YOU FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND SUPPORTING THIS LIFE-SAVING CAUSE.
With blessings,
Terry and Karen (parents of Jacob),
Sofia (Jacobs sister),
Mark (fellow climber and true family friend),
N.B. Mark has had his own experience with losing a child and did not hesitate to jump on board with this endeavour. We shall hear more of Marks story as we progress with fundraising
Mel (Fellow hiker, family friend, and voice of reason)
and of course, the person we are all honouring,
JACOB
Organizer
Terry Devine
Organizer
England
