A woman whose baby son lived for just "two precious days" chopped off her four-foot-long dreadlocks for the hospice who helped them through their tragedy.
Jessica Herbert's son Oaken was diagnosed with a deadly genetic condition and she was asked if she wanted to terminate the pregnancy "numerous times".
After the 12-week scan doctors discovered the little lad had Edwards syndrome, a genetic disorder caused by the presence of a third copy of all or part of chromosome 18.
Tragically, Oaken sadly died two days after he was born in August.
But Jessica, 46, said she was grateful to have been able to hold him and even christen him before his passing.
Following the pregnancy, Jessica and husband Simon, 48, were supported by Martin House Children’s Hospice who she said made a "positive difference" in their lives.
She decided to chop off her "unimaginably heavy" 4ft 2in hair, which she had not cut in more than 11 years to raise funds for the hospice.
Jessica, from York, said: “We only had Oaken for two precious days, that’s all we had.
“He was a brave little man who had so much character but his medical difficulties were too severe and there was little the wonderful medical teams involved could do to help him so we went to Martin House.
“It was a tragic situation, but the support we got from the hospice was truly outstanding.
“I really wanted to do something for them, they made such a positive difference to our lives."
Before the big cut on July 31, Jessica said she was "excited and nervous", adding: “It’s going to be a massive weight off my shoulder.
She added: “My neck is really looking forward to the change, but I’m a bit scared.”
Oaken was born by Caesarean section on August 27 weighing just 3.5lbs and was breathing against all odds.
Jessica, who works as a tree surgeon, said that holding him for the first time was ‘just incredible’ after she spent the entire pregnancy thinking she would lose him.
She said: “It felt like a tsunami when they opened me up to scoop him up.
“I didn’t even know if he was alive, but they told me he was.
“They made sure he was breathing, and I was allowed to hold him.
“It was just incredible. Having spent the entire pregnancy expecting to lose him, then having him in my arm, alive, looking content. It was amazing.
“I can’t express the feeling love, relief, happiness. All of those good and positive feelings.”
Jessica has raised more than £5,000 so far. To donate visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jessica-herbertdreadlockheadshave
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