We Need You!
If you would like to take part in any sort of fundraising for the charity then please contact andrew@jakescharity.org
Altenatively to dontate to the charity please 'click here'
Thank you in advance for your generosity
For updated news and events please visit www.jakescharity.org/page001.html
Charity Challenge: Trek to Everest Base Camp Completed by Rosie Harman
My name is Rosie and my brother Ben and sister-in-law Katie lost their gorgeous baby Ella Daisy as a result of an unnecessary traumatic birth at an NHS hospital.
From 2nd November - 18th November 2007 in memory of Ella and for everyone who has experienced similar traumatic experiences, I will be trekking the world’s highest mountain 29, 035 ft (8,848m) to Everest Base Camp in aid of The National Maternity Support Foundation.
The walk is going to be strenuous due to the high altitude and thin air and it involves crossing a long suspension bridge, rocky dunes and morraine and streams, to reach the base camp at 5,545m.
I need to raise a minimum sponsorship of £2,500 and I will be putting a lot of effort into exceeding it!
If you would like to donate to our charity challenge then please 'click here'. Thank you in advance for your generosity.
Please read Ella's story below, which has been written by her mother. By sponsoring me in aid of The National Maternity Support Foundation, we can raise awareness of what happens in our maternity wards and raise funds to put a stop to it.
Ella’s story
I lost my baby girl Ella Daisy on 9th October this year after a picture perfect pregnancy (she was born at full-term).
Midwives at my local hospital failed to pick up during my pregnancy that Ella was in a breech position and when I went into labour and the contractions coming at 5 minutes apart we called my hospital but I was told firstly the labour ward was closed and second that I didn’t sound in enough pain to be in established labour and that there was no bed for me so I needed to stay at home and have another bath!
By the time we were able to get into hospital some 2 hours later, i was almost fully dilated and still the midwife didn’t pick up that she was the wrong way round and it was only when she started getting into distress that a doctor was called and the doctor picked it up.
However as it was discovered too late for a c-section I had to deliver her naturally (something that is not practiced by training midwives or obstetricians as it is considered too dangerous).
Due to the hospital incompetence my beautiful baby was starved of oxygen during a very traumatic delivery and she suffered massive brain damage.
We had 5 very special days with her and we will always be grateful for that but I am very angry with the NHS system for letting us down so badly. If we hadn't been turned away for the hospital our daughter would be alive today. We have paid the ultimate price for staff shortages and lack of rooms on delivery wards. I wouldn't want any other family to suffer the way we have and something needs to be done, I don't want Ella to have died in vain.
Jake Will Leave Foundation Legacy
We have launched the National Maternity Support Foundation (NMSF) to unite people in campaigning for action in making the necessary changes to maternity services. This will also highlight the Governments plans to close up to 60 hospital departments across the country, including A&E and maternity units. We have set up a Memorial Trust Fund in Jake's name to raise necessary funds to help alleviate the crisis we are witnessing in our maternity units. We are keen to contribute to training and equipment for maternity units and hospitals in an attempt to keep them open.
We also feel strongly about contributing to funding desperately needed research into fully understanding the causes of stillbirth and neonatal death. Using this research to make a demonstrable difference in helping to reduce the number of babies that are stillborn or die shorty after birth would be a fantastic achievement for our campaign.
Apology From The NHS Trust
Barnet & Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust have now issued a sincere apology for the shortcomings in the care received. Whilst this is gratefully accepted it is small comfort considering our terrible loss. However, it does demonstrate the power of raising awareness and will hopefully encourage others to do the same. Our collective experiences will help to change the system for the greater good.
Continued Backing Of Local MP
We have secured the backing of our local Conservative MP Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield) who has given us tremendous support throughout this torrid time. This is greatly appreciated and we are now taking this support to the next level by launching a National Foundation. For more details please see press release below.
Midwife Crisis: Tonight With Trevor McDonald
We appeared on Tonight With Trevor McDonald on the deepening Maternity crisis on the 23rd October at 8pm on ITV1.
Around 4.5 million people saw this hard hitting Tonight With Trevor McDonald programme on Monday 23rd October 2006. Fiona Foster proved that slipping standards within Britain's over-stretched maternity units are now endangering the lives of mothers and their babies.
Grazia Magazine
Grazia is Britain’s first weekly glossy on sale every Tuesday. Everything in Grazia is of the moment. They give you the story behind the story in this week’s news, with powerful photography and great writing. They investigate big issues with no spin, no fluff, just straight shooting information. This is why we gave them our story continuing to raise awareness of our cause. We featured in the 27th November edition.
Media Coverage
Following the publication of an article in the Sunday Times on the 24th September 2006 we have been inundated with media inquiries.
This is fantastic news for our campaign. Links to the coverage can be found below.
So far the campaign has been covered by BBC Breakfast News, five News, ITV This Morning, BBC London News, ITV London News, Tonight With Trevor McDonald, BBC London Radio (94.9FM), BBC 3 Counties Radio (103.8FM), Mercury Radio (96.6FM), Sunday Times, The Times, Daily Mail, Grazia Magazine, London Evening Standard, Welwyn Hatfield Times, Welwyn Hatfield Review, Enfield Independent, Enfield Gazette, Jewish Chronicle, Edgware Times, Hendon Times and Barnet Times.
Link to Tonight: Midwife Crisis feature:
http://www.itv.com/news/tonight_76adb837c1cc823a94d7916762b86f07.html Link to Sunday Times article:
http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2372450,00.html
Link to BBC Breakfast News feature:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/breakfast/5377130.stm
Link to Mail on Sunday article:
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=407059&in_page_id=1774
Link to The Times 'Thunderer' article:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3284-2376729,00.html
Link to ITV This Morning feature:
http://www.itv-thismorning.co.uk/NewsAndFeaturesArticle.aspx?fid=1429&tid=2
Link to Local London article:
http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/health/display.var.944874.0.babys_death_births_campaign_to_save_lives.php
Link to Hendon & Fincley Times article:
http://www.hendontimes.co.uk/news/headlines/display.var.944630.0.a_campaign_to_save_lives.php
Link to Enfield Independent article:
http://www.haringeyindependent.co.uk/display.var.946161.0.save_lives_not_money.php
Link to Enfield Council article:
http://www.enfield.gov.uk/press%20releases/2006/octdec/Parties%20unite%20in%20disgust%20at%20savage%20cut%20to%20health%20services.htm
Link to Welwyn Hatfield Times article:
http://www.whtimes.co.uk/content/whtimes/news/story.aspx?brand=WHTOnline&category=News&tBrand=herts24&tCategory=newswhtnew&itemid=WEED21%20Nov%202006%2016%3A57%3A02%3A520
Sunday Times 24/09/06
Daily Mail 25/09/06
London Evening Standard 25/09/06
Daily Mail 26/09/06
Welwyn Hatfield Times 27/09/06
Enfield Independent 27/09/06
Enfield Independent 28/09/06
Edgware Times 28/09/06
JC 29/09/06
London Evening Standard 24/10/06
London Evening Standard: Comment 24/10/06
Press Release 20/11/06
Grazia Magazine 21/11/06
Welwyn Hatfield Times 22/11/06
Welwyn Hatfield Review 30/11/2006
JC 08/12/2006
Welwyn Hatfield Times 27/12/06
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