Tributes to a woman at the very heart of our community

The relationship between a new mother and her midwife is often fleeting - but has so much impact that those memories last a lifetime.

Ann O’Donoghue shared those intimate experiences of birth and bonding with hundreds of families during her years as midwife at Horsham Hospital and after the maternity unit there closed, out in our community.

So it’s no surprise that the tributes to this much loved lady have poured in since we reported the sad news of her death.

We’ve included some on page 3, but here are some of the others which we’d like to share with you.

Carole Gearing said: “She was such a lovely lady and my favourite midwife. I was lucky to have Ann look after me with all my pregnancies. She always had time to listen even though she was often very busy. Didn’t mind telling me off sometimes too!!”

Julie Avis said: “Ann was so lovely ..she helped me through 3 pregnancies at Horsham Hospital.. they broke the mould when they made her a midwife.”

Laura Elkins-green said: “She was my midwife and Such a lovely lady. She always stopped for a chat whenever I saw her and always asked after my girls. She really was one in a million.”

And doing such a challenging job involved supporting people through tragedy as well as joy. Helen Davey shared: “Such wonderfull stories of our dear sweet Ann ... Pat and Ann were absolutely amazingly empathetic with me when I went through the heartbreak of losing my first daughter at birth. Ann carried on visiting me at home for a long time just sitting with me and crying. I remember her bringing me Savoy Cabbage leaves to stuff down my bra to dry my milk up!!! She was later my 2nd daughter’s midwife. I will miss our little chats whenever I served her and she never forgot the story of those cabbage leaves. An amazing lady always happy and great to joke with. I shall miss her.”

Ann’s daughter Claire and son Simon thanked those who had shared memories of their mother. “Both my brother and I are overwhelmed and humbled by the responses,” said Claire.

All those kind words make a fitting tribute for a very special lady who will clearly be sorely missed.