Queen's Hospital's Snowdrop suite has been refurbished

New bereavement suite opens at Romford’s Queen’s Hospital

Lee-Ann Richards, Reporter Monday, February 18, 2013
4:45 PM

A new labour ward suite has been created for parents who are faced with the sad reality of losing a baby.

The Snowdrop Suite has been refurbished in the labour ward at Queen’s Hospital in Rom Valley Way, Romford specifically for grieving parents and families.

Avril Archibold, labour ward matron at Queen’s Hospital said: “The suite is more than a room to us, it will help signify the care we can give here at Queen’s.

“We used to have a sign on the door warning staff of the tragic loss that had happened to the family, now we have subtle, special vases that will have a snowdrop flower in to signify the care we can give at Queen’s.”

The project saw King George and Queen’s Hospitals Charity and Havering Sands (Stillbirth and neonatal death society) working together on the project after Sian Haywood lost her son, Max in 2006 and asked for donations instead of flowers at his funeral.

Sian working closed with the chair of Havering Sands Mandy Hunt to ensure that future families are put at ease with a soft and kind atmosphere.

The suite boasts home features such as a double bed, recliner chairs, a television, tea and coffee refreshments and a baby bath and changing area to help ease the grieving process.

The suite has also been sound dampened to make sure that while the room is in use, parents will be unable to hear baby cries or heartbeats from other rooms.

Sian, who is now a member of Havering Sands said: “We can not make the situation better, but we can prevent the situation from becoming worse.”

The money to money used for refurbishing the suite was raised from a range of fundraising activities including marathons, skydives and balloon releases.