Manea couple launch fundraising in memory their beautiful baby Thomas

A Fenland couple have launched a fundraising effort in memory of their baby who died at just five months old.

Amy Holmes and partner Ben Setchell, from Manea, are determined that Thomas' memory will live on and wanted to do something that would help that and would also help other bereaved parents.

They have launched a Justgiving page in Thomas's name and are also selling wrist bands for Tommy's the baby charity, which not only supports families who have lost a baby, but also research into pregnancy problems.

Amy and Ben, who have since gone on to give Thomas a sister, Ivy Jane, born this May, are hoping local shops and businesses will get behind them and help sell the wrist bands.

Amy said: "Tommy's really helped me when Thomas died and I want to repay that support. I did start fundraising soon after Thomas died but I put it on hold while I was pregnant with Ivy.

"Obviously we were very nervous and so waited until now to carry on. Thankfully Ivy has been tested and she is perfectly healthy, and she is doing really well."

When Thomas was born in March 2018 weighing a healthy 7lb 5ozs the couple could not believe the luck.

She said: "We had the most beautiful baby boy, everything else just seemed to disappear.

"We had the best time becoming parents, we laughed, cried and made some wonderful memories in the first few months with our baby boy."

But just as Thomas was coming up to five months Amy realised there was something not quite right. He was very lethargic, was not feeding and was not his normal smiley self.

"I took him to the doctor's where they believed he had a start of a chest infection, so appropriate measures were put in place to clear it up," said Amy.

But on August 18 2018 while Amy was giving Thomas his inhaler his lips went blue. Ben and Amy rushed Thomas to A&E where he was given some basic tests and a paediatric consultant noticed Thomas had a faint heart murmur.

He was given a chest X-ray which found a shadow around his heart and he was diagnosed with bronchiolitis, which saw him admitted to hospital overnight.

Later the next day Thomas was allowed home, but the couple was told he would need an electronic heart scan.

Amy said: "Monday and Tuesday soon passed and Thomas had hit the worst of the infection, sleeping all day and not letting anyone hold him. We also hadn't heard anything back from the hospital."

Wednesday August 22 seemed like a normal day, Ben had kissed Thomas before he left for work and Amy dressed herself and Thomas ready to start the day.

She prepared his bottle but Thomas was sleepy and reluctant to take it.

Amy said: "With some perseverance, I managed to get him to drink one ounce of milk. All of a sudden Thomas became unresponsive and had appeared to have stopped breathing. The rest of that day is a faint blur to myself, Ben and our family."

Thomas passed away at 1.30pm that day at Peterborough City hospital with his mummy and daddy at his bedside.

Amy said: "We weren't quite sure how and why this had happened to our gorgeous little boy.

"But it appeared Thomas had an underlying heart condition call Dilated Cardiomyopathy caused by a viral infection.

"I have started fundraising in Thomas' memory hoping to raise some money for Tommy's, an amazing charity that supports parents who have been through a bereavement as we have."

To donate visit: Justgiving