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“My Lucy won't be forgotten”
17.11.12
by Linda McGrory
A YOUNG man who was a father for just two hours has
raised much-needed funds to help parents cope with
losing a premature baby.
Eoghan Bell from Culdaff was just 20 when baby Lucy
was born a month early in January 2011. The infant
was suffering from what doctors believe was the
extremely rare Nager Syndrome, a condition affecting
the development of the face, airway and limbs. |
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Eoghan Bell cradles his baby Lucy
before she died at the hospital. |
Despite his all-too
brief spell as a father, Eoghan (21) says his
daughter left a lasting impression on him.
"Lucy wasn't here for long and didn't get to be
known by many people as other children would but now
she will be remembered for helping me and my mum
achieve our goal and raise money for two fantastic
charities," said Eoghan. He organised several
fundraisers and enlisted the help of athlete mum,
Eilish (46), who ran a gruelling four marathons (quadrathon)
in four days for the charity Stillborn and Neonatal
Deaths (SANDs). The Bells managed to raise just over
£1,585Stg for SANDs and a further €1,850 for the
Donegal Hospice. Eoghan said SANDs provided much
comfort at the Royal Hospital in Belfast for him and
Lucy’s 19-year old mother, from whom he has since
parted. The charity provided them with a memory box
complete with photographs, Lucy’s baby clothes and
her footprints. LYIT media design student Eoghan
believes neonatal deaths can be overlooked. |
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Eoghan hands over a cheque for just
over £1,585 stg to SANDs NI treasurer Aureli Osle. |
"It's something that's
usually not talked about when it happens but Lucy
played such a huge part in my life. I'd hate not to
talk about her and it's something I'm so open about
now around my friends."
Eoghan said he was moved by the support he received
locally and from all over Ireland.
"It means so much to us to be able to help these
charities and we are so very grateful for the
donations from people all over Inishowen and
Ireland. We even had athletes at the quadrathon
donating to the fund," he said.
Meanwhile, the organisation, Irish Premature Babies,
will today (November 17) mark the second ever World
Prematurity Day. More than 4,500 babies are born
prematurely in Ireland every year with more than a
million premature babies dying worldwide each year.
World Prematurity Day events here will include the
purple illumination of Liberty Hall, the Mansion
House and Cork City Hall. |
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