'We want Evie's legacy to live on': Heartbroken Chesterfield couple launch fundraiser after premature baby dies at 23 weeks

Ash and Julie Humphries, from Calow, have raised £3,240 for the Jessop Wing in Sheffield to help healthcare professionals buy extra equipment and resources in honour of their daughter Evie who died after she was born at 23 weeks and six days on February 14.

The little girl weighed a total of 1 pound 4 oz and the family managed to spend eight ‘precious’ days together, changing her nappies, giving her buckle feeds and moving her position in the incubator before she passed away in her parents’ arms on February 23.

Ash and Julie are now determined to help future parents of premature children by raising awareness of the complications they experienced by fundraising in memory of Evie.

The clinical nurse specialist was transferred from Chesterfield Royal Hospital, where she works, to the Jessop Wing at 22 weeks, after she was told 14 days prior that their baby could be born at any moment.

Julie, who had an incompetent cervix – which occurs when weak cervical tissue causes or contributes to premature birth or the loss of an otherwise healthy pregnancy – was given a rescue stitch at 19 weeks in the hope it would close her cervix until she got to a viable stage to give birth.

But the stitch was eventually taken out as the healthcare professional was at high risk of the stitch tearing her cervix if Evie was born.

Ash and Julie have praised the ‘amazing’ staff at the Jessop Wing who did ‘everything possible to get her better but it just wasn't meant to be.’

The clinical nurse specialist shared that she wants to raise awareness about the complications she experienced to help other mothers.

“I spent 5 whole weeks on bed rest and I would have done it for the rest of my pregnancy if I could of to have kept our little girl safe, but unfortunately my body went into early labour and it couldn’t be stopped", Julie said.

"I had no idea that it even existed and the fact we’ve had to lose Evie to know for future pregnancies is so, so wrong.

"No one should ever have to loose a child when there are tests out there to check the cervical length from early on.”

Ash and Julie are requesting people donate to their fundraiser rather than buy flowers for their daughter’s funeral at Boythorpe Cemetery on Monday, March 8.

Evie’s grandfather Ian Humphries commented: "It was heartbreaking.

"You don't expect to be making funeral arrangements for your daughter or your granddaughter, you expect to be bringing them home.

"But the fundraiser is an important part of Evie's legacy living on.

"It has been just over a week but we have felt in setting up the donation page it has given us something to say that Evie is still with us and even though she's not physically with us, she's there in mind and spirit and that will continue.”

To donate to the fundraiser in memory of Evie click here.

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