A Royston family whose daughter survived just 19 days after suffering severe brain damage is hoping to raise £20,000 for the hospice that helped them through the most difficult time of their life.
Tallulah Irish was born by emergency caesarean on November 19, 2013, and was immediately taken to neonatal care as doctors were concerned she was not responding well after birth.
Her mum Keely Blows and dad Curtis Irish remained hopeful she would return to the ward later that day, but Tallulah’s condition deteriorated and the family were told she had suffered a stroke resulting in severe brain damage.
There was nothing they could do to save her life and the family moved from Addenbrooke’s Hospital to the East Anglia Children’s Hospice in Milton for Tallulah’s final days.
Keely said: “When we were able to visit Tallulah the day after she was born, silently we both knew something was very wrong.
“It is the hardest day to look back on, trying to read between the lines and moving so quickly between hope, despair and distress at seeing all the tubes and wires.
“That evening our world completely collapsed around us, when the doctors told us there was nothing they could do for Tallulah.”
The family has since raised £16,700 for the hospice, and they are determined to reach their target by putting on events in Royston this year, but need some help.
Curtis hopes to stage a five-a-side tournament in Royston or the surrounding villages this summer, if enough footballers are keen to join.
And after hosting a coffee morning at Royston Football Club last year, the family plan to hold another if they can find a suitable venue.
Their most recent event was a disco with a raffle and photo booth at the Old Bull Hotel last month, which raised more than £2,800.
Curtis, 33, said: “After losing Tallulah we felt strongly that honouring her life would be giving back in her memory.
“Our amazing family and friends kick started fundraising at a time when we weren’t able to ourselves.
“The support from our community amazed us and really spurred us on.
“We are so proud of the impact her little life has had in raising awareness of the hospice.
“The fundraising has given us a focus and a way to come together as a family to remember Tallulah and retain her place in our family as importantly as any other member.”
The family’s determination to raise as much money as possible for the hospice stems for the immense support they received in the short time they were based there.
Keely said: “Our most treasured memory was when, after realising we would not be able to spend Christmas together as a family, the staff arranged for Father Christmas to visit our son, Teddy and Tallulah.
“Seeing our Teddy’s face was priceless. We were given a tree to decorate and hung Christmas lights.
“The four of us would lay under those lights at night cuddled together – these are memories that we will have forever.”
If you would like to help with fundraising events in Royston, please get in touch with Keely on keelyblows@hotmail.co.uk.
To donate money to the hospice in aid of Tallulah you can visit the family’s Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/tallulah-irish.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here