The Serenity Call will allow DBTH to update its bereavement care within the maternity ward, and will allow the team to offer referral care to those who need its services. Money raised from the appeal will be used to purchase a new scanning machine for the Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (EPAU) at Bassetlaw Hospital, renovate counseling rooms both at DRI and Bassetlaw, as well as creating the Serenity suite itself.
This suite will be a space families will go to if they have experienced bereavement and will give them the privacy they need to grieve and spend time with their newborn. Howdens will install the kitchen in the suite, allowing families to prepare refreshments without leaving the bedroom and to spend as much time as possible with their child.
Along with donating a kitchen, the Howdens team will also support the appeal by placing fundraising buckets at the depot, giving its staff and customers the opportunity to also donate to the appeal.
Nicola White, Depot Manager Kirk Sandall of The Howden, sadly recently lost a child and was one of several depot staff who wanted to support the appeal. She said: “At Howden’s we have had the opportunity to support our region through charitable donations. Many of the team are connected to DRI’s children’s service in various ways, so for us this was a way to give back to our local community and support a fantastic project.
“This sequel will give people that private time to process things, and when you’re in that situation yourself, it’s pretty hard to cope because there’s a lot going on around you. The appeal has touched many of our hearts and we are delighted to be able to help where we can.
Mathew Proctor, who is one of the Trust’s two bereaved midwives, said: ‘We would like to express our thanks to Howdens Kirk Sandall for donating this kitchen to our Serenity Suite. He will ensure that the room meets all the needs of the families who require his services and gives them as much time as possible to spend together, as a family.
“The Serenity Call is an exciting project that will allow us to significantly improve the quality of care we are able to provide and ensure that our patients have the best possible facilities. We hope that the improvements made will help families begin their grieving process in the best possible way.
The appeal is off to a fantastic start, but still needs support and there are several ways to donate. Whether you want to make a one-time donation, take part in a sponsored event or start your own fundraising project, go to https://dbthcharity.co.uk/serenity-appeal/ for more details.
If you have any questions or would like to request further information in relation to this call, or any other charity project at the Trust, please contact the charity team on 01302 644244, email: DBTH.Charity@nhs.net or visit at http://www.dbth.nhs.uk/charity
