A WINDSOR mum who embarked on a special four-day walk in memory of her son raised thousands for two children’s hospices.
Over the Easter weekend, Emma Lowe, along with her mum Sarah, walked 79 miles to remember her child Joshua, who died at just seven-weeks-old after developing meningitis in November last year.
She has raised almost £7,000 which will go towards both hospices that supported the family, the Alexander Devine Children's Hospice, in Maidenhead, and Helen and Douglas House, in Oxfordshire.
Emma explained how the support her family received from both children’s hospices made such a difference during the “worst possible time” for her family.
She said: “Joshua was our beautiful boy, calm and gentle from the day he was born he was an angelic baby in every way.
“At five weeks he developed a devastating meningitis and was taken off his ventilator a few days later.”
Emma explained the next 11 days were an “unreal journey” from the PICU ward in John Radcliffe to Helen and Douglas House Hospice and then to Alexander Devine where he died on November 23, 2021.
“While the situation was heart-breaking and gruelling, the support and kindness we met along the way was humbling,” she added.
“After transferring out of hospital care into hospice care, we very quickly realised that this was absolutely the best place for Joshua and us all, our initial apprehension at leaving a familiar place and people almost instantly gone.”
Emma said the hospice care they received was incredible.
“Firstly they gave us our baby back, we could cuddle him and take him for walks,” she added.
“We were much more a part of his care and gave us a ‘home from home’ environment that was warm and comfortable but filled with 24 hr support and company through what would be an eight-day long journey.
“They gave us so much care, support and happy memories at the worst possible time and for that we are deeply grateful.”
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Fiona Devine, CEO and co-founder of Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service, said:
“It was such a pleasure and heart-warming moment to welcome Emma and her Mum at the end of their walk, back to Alexander Devine.
“It was an emotional moment for us all but a truly positive way to remember baby Joshua.”
“To know the experience that Emma, Peter and their daughter Charlotte received here with us at Alexander Devine during Joshua’s short but hugely meaningful life, means everything to me.
“I had the great honour of meeting baby Joshua when he was here at the hospice, and he was an absolutely beautiful boy.
"Joshua will always be remembered, loved, and treasured, as will all the children we care for at Alexander Devine.”
Visit Emma’s JustGiving page to donate.
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