Two parents who lost their daughter have gifted a brand new device which allows bereaved parents extra time with their child to St Helier hospital.

In 2016, Hollie Perry and Scott Eyre were told their unborn daughter Hope had Triploidy syndrome, a rare condition that meant she had an additional set of chromosomes and would be unlikely to survive for long.

After they made the difficult decision to end the pregnancy, the couple were given a cuddle cot, a special cooling pad which can be inserted into any type of baby-bed, prolonging the time they could spend with their daughter.

Hollie said: “After Hope arrived, we were given a cuddle cot and were able to spend a night and day with her in the single bereavement room.

"We knew that we had to cram in a lifetime of memories into just a few precious hours, and we will both remember the time we spent in that room for the rest of our lives.

“We knew that there wouldn’t be any more bedtime stories, no singing happy birthday to her as she grows up, and so every moment in the bereavement room meant so much to us.

"We will always treasure being able to spend time with Hope, dressing her, taking ink prints of her hands and feet.”

While they were grateful for the support of midwives and maternity staff at St Helier, Hollie and Scott recognised the facilities available for families facing bereavement needed updating.

The couple launched the Bearing Hope campaign with the aim of raising £20,000 to overhaul the bereavement room which, after a full refurbishment, was opened on August last year.

Since then, Hollie has continued to add touches to the room such as kitchenware and soft furnishings, and the final addition to the room is the new cuddle cot.

Funding for the new cuddle cot was made possible thanks to a donation of £1,101 to the Bearing Hope campaign by Marks and Spencer, Sutton.

After gifting the cuddle cot, Hollie said: “We did this to help others – it wasn’t about us, we did this for anyone else who might have to use this room in the future, so that they can spend precious time with their baby.

"We are honoured to be able to create this legacy for Hope.”

Director of Midwifery Marion Louki said: “We are so grateful to Hollie and Scott for sharing their story, and for continuing to fundraise for us in Hope’s name.

"Nothing can take away the pain of losing a baby, but it is absolutely vital that we do everything we can to support families and individuals during these times – our bereavement room and new cuddle cot will help us to do just that.

“On behalf of the Trust, we would like to say a big thank you to Hollie and Scott, their incredible hard work and courage has already made a huge difference to other bereaved parents.”

Now that the bereavement room is complete Hollie would like to continue fundraising for new facilities on the Gynaecology Ward.