Maggie’s Stillbirth Legacy
1803. Sarah Bernasconi-Parsons
Sarah Bernasconi-Parsons, from Blackburn, founded ‘Maggie’s Stillbirth Legacy’, in memory of her daughter Maggie who was stillborn two days before her due date in 2015, to support other bereaved parents cope with the loss of a baby.
Through online auctions, Sarah has raised over £60,000 for a ‘cuddle cots’ project, a bespoke cot with a cold unit fitted underneath which preserves the baby’s body and allows families to spend additional time with them after they pass away. Sarah and the charity also fund memory boxes, bereavement rooms at hospitals, equipment for children’s activities and provide further support for bereaved families.
Sarah’s award comes during National Grief Awareness Week, the annual campaign to raise awareness of the impact of grief and highlight the work of bereavement support services like ‘Maggie’s Stillbirth Legacy’.
In a personal letter to Sarah, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:
“I am lost in admiration for the legacy you have created in memory of your daughter, Maggie, and for the strength you have shown to provide support to others who have endured a similar loss.
“The cuddle cots you provide to hospitals are a wonderful way of giving grieving families a little more time. You are a lifeline to those grieving parents and an inspiration to us all.”
Sarah said:
“I am honoured and humbled to receive a Point of Light Award. All I want to do is help others in Maggie’s name to keep her memory alive so this means so much to me.”