Maisie’s HOPE

FUND SET TO SMASH THROUGH £70,000 MILESTONE

A family who set up a fundraiser for a new piece of equipment after their baby daughter died at four days old are about to see the neonatal fund set up in her name reach £70,000.

Maisie’s Hope was set up after Leanne Nellis and her husband Graham lost their daughter Maisie, who was born on October 5 2011 at full term, with the umbilical cord around her neck.

Maisie was cared for on the neonatal unit at James Cook Hospital, but despite the best efforts of staff, sadly passed away.

Following their heartbreaking experience, Leanne and Graham kept a close bond with staff on the neonatal unit. They started fundraising – and have just never stopped! Their experience left such an imprint on Leanne, that she also made the life-changing decision to retrain as a neonatal nurse and she says she now feels “privileged” to be supporting other families in the same place where Maisie was cared for.

Happily, Leanne and Graham have also gone on to have two more daughters Molly, nine and Matilda, six - who talk about their sister Maisie every day.

Leanne says: “I’ve always been very open with them about Maisie and make sure she’s included as part of our family.

“The girls talk about her a lot. If they see a butterfly, when we are out, they will say, “it’s Maisie!”

The girls are also very much involved in the family’s fundraising efforts, which last year totalled about £3,000 - including a £1,000 Teesside Hero Award presented to Leanne - as well as their participation in the Great North Run and a charity CrossFit session with CrossFit Teesside.

Both Leanne and Graham did the Great North Run last year – and this year, Leanne is doing it again on her own.

“Graham said never again!” she laughed.

“We get the girls involved when we can and they are very much aware and a part of everything that we do in Maisie’s memory.”

Leanne is passionate about helping families on the neonatal unit to create precious memories with their babies – and this has been the focus of her fundraising in the last year.

Funds have been raised for heartbeat bears – teddy bears which contain recordings of a baby’s heartbeat - and kits that can be used to turn little hand and footprints into jewellery, creating precious keepsakes for families to treasure forever.

“They are such precious items,” she says.

Speaking of her new role as a neonatal unit nurse, Leanne admits people were surprised when she decided to work in the place where she lost her baby girl.

But Leanne has a completely different outlook.

“It’s the only place Maisie was,” she says.

“I stayed in touch with staff over the years and it was never a negative thing for me going back there.

“For me, it’s nice to be part of the team.”

You can find out more about Maisie’s Hope or make a donation at www.justgiving. com/Maisie-Hope-Nellis

You’ll also find more information about the neonatal unit on pages 24 and 25.