Emotional fund-raising tribute to baby James
A brave couple who have raised £5,000 for charity in only five weeks since the death of their unborn baby boy, have paid tribute to the "amazing" support they have received.
Kerri Crowther and her fiance Adam Lack were expecting to celebrate the birth of their first child last month.
Tragically, their baby son James died before he was born.
Since then, Kerri, aged 33, and Adam, aged 30, have helped raise more than 5,000 for the Northamptonshire Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Charity (SANDS).
Speaking to the Chronicle & Echo, Kerri said she had experienced a perfectly normal pregnancy.
She went into hospital on January 8 and was initially examined by a junior doctor who tried to check baby James's heart beat. Tragically they could not hear it beating.
Kerri, of Broadway East, in Abington, Northampton said: "They just couldn't find anything.
"I knew straight away. All through the pregnancy his heart rate was as strong as an ox.
"They got the consultant in to do an emergency scan and after about 20 minutes they said 'I'm really sorry but your baby is not alive'."
Reeling from the devastation, Kerri was then taken through to the delivery room where she had to undergo a traumatic 17-hour labour to give birth to her stillborn son.
She said: "It was absolutely barbaric knowing I had to go through what everyone else went through and I wouldn't come home with a baby.
"We went in with all our bags packed, everything was ready at home, his things were all out, and then when they tell you he was not alive, your whole world stops."
Kerri and Adam still do not know how baby James died and will find out the results of a post mortem next week. They may never know exactly what happened to him.
However, Kerri has said the support she received from SANDS following the tragedy has helped her cope with the heartbreak of losing James and says she is now determined to support the charity.
SANDS has a bereavement room for parents to use at the hospital and is hoping to fund a permanent memorial garden in Northampton.
Kerri initially said she did not want to see her son, but with the encouragement of the midwives from SANDS she has now filled a memory box full of keepsakes and photos.
She has also started attending monthly meetings run by SANDS.
She said: "I had never heard of SANDS before but even before we left hospital, we said we had to do something to help them."
The couple have already raised 5,000 for the charity through an online appeal and, courtesy of her colleague Michelle Wright, a series of events held by National Grid, where Kerri works.
Kerri and Adam are also planning a concert in The Racehorse pub, in Abington Square, while their house mate is planning a bungee jump.
Kerri added: "SANDS is a lifeline. So many people don't know it exists but they are there and they need just as much support as any other charity." For information visit www.northamptonshiresands.org and to donate visit www.justgiving.com/ BabyJamesAndrewCharles.
Emotional fund-raising tribute to baby James
By John Harrison
Chronicle Reporter
john.harrison@northantsnews.co.uk
Kerri Crowther and Adam Lack are raising money after the tragic loss of their unborn son
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