Baby loss mum in light up plea

A devoted mum whose baby daughter was stillborn is calling on Paisley landmarks to light up blue and pink to support charities which helped her through her loss.

Kirsty Cuthbert has launched an appeal in a bid to get buildings such as Paisley Abbey and Paisley Town Hall to light up on October 15 to mark Baby Loss Awareness Week and support bereaved parents throughout Renfrewshire.

Tomorrow, Kirsty and her husband Lewis, 35, will mark a year since they were tragically told their baby girl had died.

Kirsty had attended at the Royal Alexandra Hospital due to concerns over reduced movement when she was 36 weeks pregnant.

The Linwood couple were faced with the tragic news that they would have to say their goodbyes to their daughter on the same day she would be born.

Little Isla Jamie Easton Cuthbert was stillborn at the Paisley hospital on September 5 last year, leaving her parents heartbroken.

Brave Kirsty spoke of her loss with the Paisley Daily Express earlier this year, and now wants to help support others who have faced similar tragedy by recognising Baby Loss Awareness week in Renfrewshire.

“I really want to make this happen as I know it would mean so much to many families, like ours who have been affected by baby loss,” Kirsty, 38, said.

“Unless you have experienced the loss of a child I think it is hard for others to understand the true magnitude of the loss.

“It’s not just your child you grieve for it’s their first word you will never get to hear, the first step you will never see, never hearing them call you mummy and daddy or seeing them on their first day of school.

“You lose the one, five, ten and 16 year old they would become and this is why I am so passionate about raising awareness and letting others know that it’s OK to speak about the child you lost and no matter if you were four, 12, 22 or 36 weeks pregnant – your baby matters.”

Across the UK, 267 landmarks lit up pink and blue to support baby loss in 2019.

The campaign, which works with more than 60 charities to support bereaved parents, has been running for 18 years.

Kirsty, who is also mum to six-yearold Ruby, hopes that both landmarks and businesses in Paisley will take part in the campaign for the first time and help Renfrewshire families commemorate their lost babies.

The week-long campaign runs every year from October 9 to 15, but Kirsty hopes that landmarks will agree to take part in the ‘wave of light’ on the campaign’s final day.

Kirsty added: “This campaign is an opportunity for bereaved parents, their families and friends to unite to commemorate the lives of babies who died during pregnancy, soon after birth or in infancy, to raise awareness about pregnancy and infant loss.

“Having lived in Paisley all my life, these landmarks hold so many memories from when I was younger to the current day with my eldest daughter Ruby and I am sure that is the same for many families around Paisley that have experienced baby loss.”

Kirsty is also calling on smaller businesses across the local authority to get in touch with her if they would like to support the campaign.

She added: “If any local businesses are able get involved by lighting up their windows pink and blue to show support for their local families this would also be amazing.

“I would love to see Paisley turned blue and pink.”

Any businesses that would like to get involved by lighting up blue and pink can contact Kirsty on babyislarocks2019@gmail.com

The Paisley Express has contacted Renfrewshire Leisure and the Church of Scotland for comment about lighting their buildings.

I would love to see Paisley turned blue and pink