A MOTHER whose baby was born after just 16 weeks is raising money for Glan Clwyd Hospital’s baby unit.
Ciera Lewis, 25, and Gafyn Skellon, 29, of Bryn Twr, Abergele, lost baby Joshua just 18 days after he was born at the hospital in 2007.
She is now organising a sponsored walk from Pensarn to Colwyn Bay and back and a charity auction to raise money for the Cuddles charity, which supports the special care baby unit at the hospital.
“I was in labour for five days,” said Ciera, who gave birth to her second daughter Mia 15 weeks ago.
“He weighed just 1lb 9. They wanted to fly him to Alder Hey, but we could not go with him and they said he might not have survived the flight.
“So we didn’t want the chance of him dying alone.
“We got to hold him after they turned the machine off.
“It was a very distressing time, the staff were there for us. If it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t have had the 18 days with him.”
Betsi Cadwalader University Health Board is looking to axe longer-term baby intensive care at the hospital with patients sent to Arrowe Park on the Wirral.
Cuddles has launched a petition against the proposed shake-up.
Ciera said due to the complications with her pregnancy she would have been transferred to the Wirral if service was already there.
She said: “It would have been dangerous to transfer me there during the labour. Joshua would have been born in England, and my family is Welsh.
“Glan Clwyd Hospital is in a perfect place, it is central and close to the A55.
“Staff at the unit did such an amazing job and they came to Joshua’s funeral.”
The walk is taking place on October 28, meeting on Pensarn beach at 10.30am with a raffle and charity auction at the Gwindy, in Abergele after the 15mile walk.
Prizes include a night’s stay at the Kinmel Manor Hotel, two tickets to the Pavilion Theatre Rhyl’s pantomime Sleeping Beauty, a photo shoot with View Studio and a night’s stay ay Castle Hotel, Conwy.
Contact 07795431783 for details.