Help support young family after loss of their son

Hi all 

My name is Keren and the following story is about my daughter and her partner Tom. 

Today marks two months since our dear friends Kali and Tom welcomed their beautiful first son into the world, Valentine William Kelly. Tragically Valentine lost his life 43 hours later on the 17th of June.

Kali and Tom should be two months into their journey of parenthood, two months into sleepless nights and a bubble of love, however, instead are left to process and contemplate a life that once seemed so bright.

There is no stronger battle to endure than the loss of a child. The parents face making decisions they never imagined could ever happen. Turning off life support, organising funerals, collecting their babies ashes. This intense sudden sadness is life destroying and they need time to mourn and time to heal.

Valentine died of severe Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) which is caused from a shortage of oxygen to the brain and vital blood flow to the organs which then results in irreversible Brain damage and in Tom and Kali’s case loss of life. In this modern society too many babies don’t go home with their families 1 in 1000 births end up with HIE ranging from mild to severe. The families return home without their baby and without answers as to what just happened.

Friends and family don’t always know what to say or what to do during times like these. This is one way as a supporting community we feel we can help to alleviate some of their burden.

Whilst the road ahead is long, our hope is that these funds will help to take the pressure of Kali and Tom in adjusting to their new life without their son and to seek the answers as to why he is not here.

We would like to thank everyone for their thoughts and contributions.