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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Aaliyah Rugg

Dad's promise to keep miracle baby's legacy alive vows to help others across UK

The family of a miracle baby girl who survived for 11 days despite the odds have pledged to honour her legacy by helping others.

Daniel Thompson and Georgina Wills from Newton-le-Willows discovered their baby had a rare condition called Exencephaly when they went for a 12 week scan.

This meant her skull would not fully form and brain tissue would be exposed.

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But despite being told baby Ava-Marie would only survive for a matter of hours, the couple went on to live life "almost like a normal family" in the 11 days she lived for, passing away in her mum's arms in July 2018.

The couple, who share two other children named Harry and Sophia, have done everything they can to keep their baby's memory alive since her death - and in 2019 the Ava Marie Foundation was born.

Daniel told the ECHO : "We knew at the 12-week scan she would never survive and we looked for support and help out there but there was a massive gap.

"We found support in groups based in America but there was nothing in the UK. We made friends and were able to make memory boxes and when Ava-Marie passed we decided we wanted to provide similar in the UK which would allow families to make those last memories.

"We started off providing memory boxes and made funeral gowns from wedding dress donations."

Daniel Thompson and Georgie Wills from Newton-le-Willows, with their baby Ava Marie who passed away at 11 days old (Remember my baby/Mark Hemans)

Inside each memory box are two identical teddy bears - one for the child and one for the family - a hand casting and inkless paper to print the baby's hand and footprints on.

But Daniel, who made a promise to his daughter that he would keep her legacy alive, decided they wanted to do more and set out plans to open a child bereavement hub on Market Street.

The hub on Market Street Newton-le-Willows (Daniel Thompson)

The hub aims to provide a "safe space" for families to be together during their final moments whilst offering wrap-around counselling.

Daniel added: "We took control of the premises before the pandemic hit, we decided we wanted to provide a safe space for children but also to allow families to stay with their child with that 24-hour support around them.

"People deal with death in different ways, some feel comfortable doing everything in their final moments, some don't and that's where we engage with a local funeral service to provide that after-death care.

The charity is raising £10,000 to expand the bereavement hub to help families across the UK (Daniel Thompson)

"This hub would mean families can make memories. Some children can go suddenly, and families don't have time to think about the memories they can make but they will be with them for life.

"We also want to provide that level of support even long after the child has been buried or cremated."

They are aiming to raise £10,000 for the expansion, which would help not only mums and dads, but all family members impacted by baby loss.

Danie's friend Taylor with his son Bentley who offered support to Ava-Marie's family through their grieving journey (Daniel Thompson)

Daniel said: "For me, to be able to help others it does mean a lot. During Ava-Marie's eulogy I made a promise to keep her legacy alive and by having this hub it will allow me to continue to work in her memory.

"But also, it allows me to ease the healing process for others and help them make memories which will mean a lot later down the line."

Anyone wishing to donate to the foundation can do so by clicking here.

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