Chesterfield couple turn tragedy into fundraising event in memory of baby daughter born sleeping

Alex and Steven Barker, from Old Tupton, faced every future parents worse nightmare when they were told there was excess fluid on their baby’s brain during a routine 20-week scan on May 17.

Sadly, doctors later confirmed their baby had rare, severe brain development abnormalities, and would not survive.

Recalling the earth shattering moment, Alex, 31, said: “[The sonographer] was doing all the checks and, in hindsight, there was probably a bit of a strange atmosphere.

"We didn’t want to know if we were having a boy or girl, we were happy either way. She stopped scanning and said ‘there's a little bit too much fluid than I’d like on the brain at this point’.

"Even at that point it didn’t sink in, I just thought I had another 20 weeks and we could sort it. Then she went to get someone more senior, who came in and said ‘let’s get you out this room’.

"As soon as she said that I realised it wasn’t good news. She gave us her condolences which made us think, why is she saying this.

"She explained that the fluid she’d seen was on three different areas of the brain… she then said anymore questions, so I asked if I needed to prepare to give birth soon to which she said ‘yes, it’s probably best you do’.”

Alex gave birth to baby Annabel just days later at Chesterfield Royal Hospital, with the little girl weighing just over 1lb.

"It was quite an out of body experience. At the time I had so much to physically deal with, I wasn’t really thinking of the emotion side,” Alex added.

"There were a lot of difficult decisions – the post mortem, the funeral. There’s an amazing charity called Remember My Baby and the midwives at Chesterfield are amazing, but they asked if we wanted the charity to come and take photos.

"Even questions like that were a bit mindblowing but we have managed to get some private but nice photos of Annabel with us as well so we have got the memories.”

Alex and Steven, 33, have since decided to turn their tragedy into a fundraising event for Sands (Still and Neonatal Death Society), which provides bereavement support to anyone affected by the death of a baby, and Tommy's, which helps fund research into miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth.

As part of their efforts, Steven has challenged himself to complete a sponsored marathon with his friend Mark James in the Peak District on Saturday, October 2 – baby Annabel’s original due date.

Alex said: “We knew we wanted to raise money, to either prevent this in the future or to help families who have experienced this.

"We started the fundraiser at the beginning of June with a £5,000 target which we thought was a high figure and we’d have to work to get it… but we got that the day after launching the fundraiser.

"We just feel extremely grateful for all the donations because we didn’t expect it at all.”

The couple are now aiming to double their initial goal by raising £10,000. To support their efforts and donate click here.

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