An Eden family’s heart-breaking loss of their beloved baby son will help other grieving families on the Far South Coast.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Tegan Goodyer and Michael Kennedy welcomed their baby boy, Jaxon Paul Kennedy, into the world in November last year.
Sadly, Jaxon was stillborn.
Through their heart-breaking experience Ms Goodyer has raised $4500 for Pregnancy Loss Australia to purchase a cuddle cot for families and Bega Hospital.
Ms Goodyer reached her target last week and is now collecting money for a second cuddle cot for Moruya Hospital.
A cuddle cot is a cooling system that has been designed to fit within a small cot.
This system allows for babies who have died to remain with their families so that they are not required to be cooled in a mortuary environment.
Cuddle cots enable family members to travel to visit and meet the baby, siblings to meet one another and even gives parents the option of taking their baby home to lay in their own cot, in their own room or travel in their own car seat.
It is about giving parents choices, and reassuring them that they can spend as much time as possible with their baby.
An online donation site helped raise the $4500 needed to purchase the specialised equipment.
One of the donors, who wished to remain anonymous, left a heart-breaking message on the website on why they decided to support this worthy cause.
“I donate in loving memory of my grandparents and for their first son, who was born sleeping over 70 years ago at the Canberra Hospital on Acton Peninsula.
"We have come a long way since those days and I hope cuddle cots will soon be available to all families around Australia who unfortunately need them,” the donor wrote.
Ms Goodyer said all donations great or small would be gratefully received and appreciated.
“Please help me to make another family’s journey less difficult," Ms Goodyer said.
Bega's cuddle cot will be donated to the hospital in November, on what would have been baby Jaxon's first birthday.
Donation tins are available at Coles, Eden.
The online donation page can be found at http://placuddlecot.gofundraise.com.au/page/GoodyerT