In memory of Charlii

Guest post by Bree Hammond, Charlii’s Mum.

I found out I was pregnant with our second child on December 13^th 2011. We couldn’t have been happier – an addition to our little family of myself, my husband Sean, and our Daughter Ellah (9 at the time, now 13).

I had my 18 week scan and the sonographer noticed something not quite right so I was sent back at 22 weeks to have another scan. I was ushered into a room with the head of the hospital…. it was a small town North Queensland hospital. It was there we found out that our baby was unwell and had a severe heart condition.

Eventually I was sent to a Brisbane hospital for scans and after many weeks, it was decided that we would move into Ronald McDonald house at 36 weeks for baby to be born, operated and assisted with the heart condition.

Over the weeks, we travelled fortnightly from home to Brisbane to have scans and relied on a fundraising event, family, friends and unknowns to assist in our travel and accommodation as I had to leave work at 12 weeks due to severe morning sickness.

At 32 weeks, the team of specialists decided that an amniocentesis was required. Once results came through, our baby was diagnosed with a genetic condition that only a handful within Australia are alive with this genetic disorder. The team of specialists decided that they would not operate on our baby’s heart.

We decided to have our baby at our local hospital where we were closer to home, and our family came to stay. We were told that our baby may live a few minutes or a few days… we organised the funeral before our child was even born. It was only days prior that we found out we were having a girl and had clothes handmade for her as she was smaller than other babies.

Our baby girl arrived at 2.13am on the 20^th of July (our daughter Ellah was also born at 2.13am years prior). We named her Charlii Grae-Emma Indigo…. her heart was beating however she never took a breath and was therefore classified as stillborn.

I will never forget looking at my husband, holding his precious girl who we would never see grow.

Today, three and a half years later, we have our 13 year old daughter Ellah, and a little cheeky 2 and a half year old boy Junior, who both light up our every day and have assisted us in learning to not sweat the small things that occur in life.

I decided to have a fundraiser for Sands who greatly assisted all of us through the loss of Charlii and for months afterwards. Join us in the fun and win whilst raising money for Sands!

 

 

How do you join Bree’s Jamberry Bash for Sands?

Join her VIP group on Facebook HERE or

Order at breehammond.jamberry.com and help raise money for Sands by clicking on the Sands Fundraising party at checkout

 

 

If you would like to fundraise for Sands Queensland, please email events@sadnsqld.org.au