We are currently fundraising in memory of our precious baby girl, Fiadh, who was born sleeping on 17.02.2025—just five weeks before her due date. To honour her, we will be taking on the Cuilcagh Mountain walk, also known as the Stairway to Heaven on Sunday 17th August.

All funds raised will go directly towards supporting families who experience the heartbreak of baby loss. Specifically, donations will benefit families who deliver their angel babies at Antrim Area Hospital. Our goal is to provide comfort and support during such an unimaginable time, and to contribute to resources that help grieving families through their journey.

In discussion with my bereavement midwife, we've received a wish list of items that would greatly benefit the Willow Suite at Antrim Area Hospital—a dedicated space designed to offer comfort and time for families saying goodbye to their little ones. We hope to raise enough funds to fulfill as much of this list as possible and plan to present the items to the hospital after our fundraising campaign concludes.

If you would like to support our walk in memory of Fiadh, any donation—no matter how big or small—would mean the world to us. Every contribution helps and goes a long way. If you'd also like to join us on the walk to honour Fiadh, please feel free to reach out for more details.

Thank you for your support.

OUR STORY

On the 16th of February, our world changed forever. At 34 weeks and 5 days pregnant, we were given the devastating news that our baby girl, Fiadh, no longer had a heartbeat. Just five days earlier, her little heart was beating strong, and my pregnancy had been completely healthy with no signs of complication.

The following day, I went into labour naturally. On Monday, the 17th of February at 8:16pm, our precious Fiadh was born sleeping. We spent 36 precious hours with her in the Willow Suite at Antrim Area Hospital — a space specially designed to offer comfort to families experiencing baby loss. The suite gave us a calm, private environment and included thoughtful touches like a sofa bed, a TV, coffee and tea facilities, baby loss books, and, most importantly, the freedom to be together with our loved ones. My partner was by my side the entire time, and we were able to welcome visitors to meet Fiadh.

Tuesday, the 18th of February, was our final day and night with her. The hospital arranged for the ‘Remember My Baby’ charity to come and take beautiful, professional photos of our time together. That evening, close family came to visit, and we made sure to talk, sing, and spend as much time with her as we could. We took photos and videos that we will treasure forever.

On Wednesday morning, the 19th of February at 8:20am, we said our last goodbye. We gently placed Fiadh in a little box, and watched a hospital porter carry her away. It broke our hearts. She was taken to Belfast and then to Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool for a post-mortem.

As Fiadh made her way back home to us, we began planning her burial. On Friday the 21st, we welcomed her home. We spent time alone with her, just the two of us, before family and friends arrived. Family and friends wrote messages on her tiny white coffin using colourful markers. That night, when everyone had gone, we placed her beside our bed — exactly where we had planned for her to sleep once she was born.

On Saturday the 22nd, we laid our beautiful Fiadh to rest. Close family and friends came together to say goodbye, all wearing pink in her honour. After everyone left, the silence was overwhelming. Her nursery remains untouched — filled with the love and excitement we had prepared, never imagining this would be the outcome. Like so many families, we never saw this coming.

Fiadh was — and always will be — our perfect baby girl. She will forever be loved, remembered, and spoken about. She left an everlasting mark on our hearts and the hearts of so many others.

Through this fundraiser, we hope to honour Fiadh’s memory by supporting other families affected by stillbirth, and by helping Antrim Area Hospital provide continued care and comfort through the Willow Suite. No family should have to go through this — and we hope to make even the smallest difference in someone else’s journey, just as Fiadh made the biggest difference in ours.