CUDDLE COT A LASTING TRIBUTE TO WILLOW
A YOUNG couple grieving the loss of their daughter Willow Flori Barclay have donated a $6000 cuddle cot to give more Gold Coast parents the gift of time to say their goodbyes.
Coombabah locals Katie Lesage and Kane Barclay said they were compelled to raise money following the death last year of their first child at 25 weeks in utero at Gold Coast University Hospital.
The day they donated the cot, December 21, was Willow’s due date.
Ms Lesage’s brother Anthony was instrumental in setting up the fundraiser for the cot, which will be located at the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit.
Without the use of a cuddle cot, parents who have lost babies to stillbirth only get to spend about half an hour with their child.
Ms Lesage and Mr Barclay’s daughter Willow was born sleeping on
September 7 last year. But thanks to a cuddle cot, which preserves deceased babies through a low temperaturecontrolled mattress, they were able to spend four days with their daughter.
“We were able to hold her whenever we wanted and it gave us and our families time to say goodbye to her,” Ms Lesage said. “Just knowing that a cot in our child’s name is going to be around for many, many years is a lovely memory too.
“These cots allow people to spend more time with their baby, whether it’s a stillborn or passes after birth. It allows you to take photos to build these memories and for everyone to have their chance to say goodbye.”
The family also raised enough money to buy 12 teddy bears of hope, each dedicated to the memory of Willow. These are given to families.
“Just knowing that people we haven’t even met will be thinking of Willow and saying her name is very special to us,” she said.