Hi, my name is Carley, and I am the proud Mummy of Maeva Elsie Cowburn.  

Maeva was born on 8th June 2023 at 33 weeks following complications during pregnancy. During my pregnancy, we were given a number of worrying findings, and after extensive testing, we were told that Maeva had a very rare genetic condition called Kabuki Syndrome (KDM6A). She also developed Non-Immune Fetal Hydrops before she was born.

When Maeva arrived, she was very poorly, but she showed incredible strength from the very beginning. She went on to battle Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN), and despite everything she faced, she fought so hard.

Tragically, at just 8 days old, Maeva developed E. coli sepsis. After continuing to fight for a further 54 hours, she passed away peacefully in our arms on 19th June 2023, at just 11 days old.

In her short life, Maeva showed more courage and strength than most of us will ever know. She made her Daddy and I endlessly proud, and she is loved more than words could ever express.

When Maeva took her last breath, we made a promise to do everything we could to keep her name and her memory alive.

Since then, my husband and I, along with our family and friends, have come together to raise money in her honour. For her 1st birthday, we took on the Manchester Marathon in various forms, from 10k relays to half and full marathons, and together we raised an incredible £15,678 for Baby Beat, supporting the neonatal unit that cared so beautifully for Maeva.

Now, I am continuing that promise.

I am taking on a new challenge in Maeva’s memory - a Wing Walk, where I will be strapped to the top of a biplane and flown 750 feet through the sky at around 130mph! ✈️

The Wing Walk will take place at Ethel Dares WingWalking in Leeds, and I have now decided that I will take on this challenge around Maeva’s birthday in June 2027.

My aim is to reach our £4,000 fundraising target before I book the Wing Walk, giving us plenty of time to continue fundraising and make this challenge everything I hope it can be.

More recently, I held a raffle as part of Maeva’s Legacy fundraising, which raised an incredible £1,250. I am so grateful to everyone who bought tickets, donated prizes, shared the fundraiser and helped make it such a success.

Every penny raised will be split equally, with 50% going to Lumiere Charity in Liverpool and 50% to the Tigerlily Trust in Lancaster.

Both charities provide incredible support to families facing the unimaginable, and it means so much to be able to give something back in Maeva’s name.

Doing this Wing Walk around Maeva’s birthday makes it even more meaningful. On 8th June 2027, she would have been four years old. Although we should be celebrating her here with us, instead I will be taking to the skies for her, turning something incredibly difficult into something positive in her memory.

I will share updates throughout the journey, so you can see exactly what your donations, support and generosity are helping to achieve.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read our story, and for any support you are able to give. Every donation, share and kind word means more than you could ever know.

For Maeva. Always.

Carley xx