‘She was a gift for five days’
Family fundraiser in memory of baby Jupiter who ‘taught us so much’
For her dad, wee Juniper Hitchcock was the strong little girl who gave the nurses a hard time and earned the nickname “Our Little Sass”.
For her mum, she was the baby who would “throw a party in my belly” when loud music played and who, when born, was tough, fighting to do things her way, and also sweet.
And for her grandma, little Juniper — who died from a genetic disorder days after birth — was the wee girl who taught her to “enjoy those rainbows”. She would keep running an Auckland Marathon event each year to remember her granddaughter “until St John has to carry me away”.
Juniper lived just five days, but her family are making sure her impact will last a lifetime.
Mum Toni George, dad Simon Hitchcock, and grandma Jayne Lewis will run the 12km traverse event at the Auckland Marathon on October 20, in Juniper’s memory and to raise money for the Starship Foundation, which funds children’s health initiatives and treatments, and supports their families.
It’s the third year the Stanley Bay trio have completed the event as part of Team Starship, competing under the name Jogging for Juniper.
“We are definitely not runners,” said George, 28. “We don’t attempt to break any time records. It’s just the act of doing it. We wanted to surround her memory with positivity, so when people heard her name it was a positive thing, not a sad thing. Doing this has really helped our family as we navigate life without her.”
In their first two years, including their first traverse six months after Juniper’s death in March 2017, they raised $14,000. This year, they were aiming for $5800 — and $6500 has already been pledged.
“She was only with us five days but she managed to inspire us, and so many other people, who have got on board and helped us.”
They had been told Juniper would need medical help after her birth, when the baby was diagnosed with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia — where organs are pushed up into the chest area — at 19 weeks gestation, and then later in the pregnancy with a hole in her heart. But when Juniper was born it was also discovered she had rare Donnai-Barrow syndrome, which would affect her development. She also had four holes in her heart, not just one.
Starship medical staff did their best but Juniper’s heart wasn’t strong enough for surgery to help her lungs, and her lungs weren’t strong enough for heart surgery, George said.
“It was just too much.”
As well as remembering their little girl, and keeping her part of the family, the fundraising run was a way to thank Starship staff who supported the family during the hardest days of their lives, Hitchcock said.
“I was a bit oblivious to how much they did until I went through this . . . little things like keepsakes on her bassinet, photos they laminated, and while everything is going on you have total access and they’re always encouraging you to interact with [your child].”
The 27-year-old also wanted to encourage people not to shy away from talking about children who had died.
“We love mentioned. It it if her name is means people are thinking about her. It’s not like you can remind anyone that they’ve lost a child by mentioning their name. The worst part would be if she was just to be forgotten.”
Lewis said her granddaughter had taught the family “so much” in her short life.
“She was a gift for five days in our lives. She taught us so much about life, to enjoy life, to enjoy those rainbows.”
And to enjoy running 12km “at 51, with a gammy toe” — at least until Juniper’s big sister Estelle is old enough to join the family’s annual tradition.
All three family members hoped the 4-year-old would eventually join their Jogging for Juniper team, and Lewis joked she was already eyeing up the 2.2km Kids Marathon, on which children between 5 and 9 can be accompanied by an adult.
“Maybe grandma could do that one with her.”
We love it if her name is mentioned. The worst part would be if she was forgotten. Simon Hitchcock