Highland Journal April 2014

Welcome to the April 2014 edition of the SiMBA Highland Journal! 

The beginning of 2014 has proven to be a busy time with so many events happening throughout the UK for SiMBA as the charity continues to respond to the needs of those affected by the loss of a baby.

Tain Royal Academy Youth Philanthropy Initiative 

In November 2013 I was delighted to receive a phone call from Eilidh, a 3^rd year student at Tain Royal Academy. She and fellow pupils Georgia, Jordan and Becky, had chosen SiMBA as the charity they wished to represent at the Youth Philanthropy Initiative. As well as raising awareness of the charity, each group that wins for their charity receives a cheque for £3,000.

It was so heart-warming to meet with the students, who showed a great deal of understanding of the empathetic approach required in promoting SiMBA charity. We were delighted when they reached the final whoch was held on 28^th March 2014. Though the girls did not win we are so proud of how well they represented SiMBA and very grateful for their hard work.

Thank you also to our SiMBA Volunteers Marion Hamilton and Megan Foulis who worked very hard with the students.

Caithness andSutherland Midwifery Forum 

My SiMBA co-facilitator Irene and I were pleased to be invited to attend the February meeting of the Midwifery Forum for Caithness & Sutherland. This busy team covers one of the largest, most rural areas of NHS Highland, working in the community and at the Henderson Maternity Unit in Caithness General Hospital.

It was good to share with them about the work of SiMBA throughout the UK and specifically in the Highlands, and to talk about how together we can respond to the needs of their patients who go through the tragedy of miscarriage, stillbirth or neo-natal death.

SiMBA Office, Dunbar

In Feb 2014 Irene and I enjoyed our first visit to SiMBA HQ in Dunbar. Volunteers are welcomed here on a daily basis by Sara Fitzsimmons, Charity Director, Gillian Wells, Office Administrator, and Danielle, Office Receptionist. If you would like to volunteer to help pack Memory Boxes or get ready for some of the events SiMBA runs, contact Gillian on admin@simbacharity.org.uk.

Cake Sale at Scottish Marine Institute

SiMBA were delighted to receive £130 from The Scottish Marine Institute who held a Cake Sale at their workplace. This has been given to SiMBA via the SiMBA Great Glen Challenge.

Golspie Quiz Night

The Northern contingent of #KayakTeamSiMBA held a very successful Quiz Night, brilliantly compared by Malcolm. Funds raised on the night have been given to SiMBA via the SiMBA Great Glen Challenge.

Scottish Cot Death Trust

I was delighted to be invited by Lynda Bathgate, Community Services Nurse with the Scottish Cot Death Trust to join her at a Paediatric Bereavement Study Event held at Raigmore Hospital in March. It was an interesting event bringing together professionals from SUDI, Scottish Ambulance Service, Police Scotland, Hospital Services, Chaplaincy Services, Registrar’s Services and GP Services. Lynda and I hope to liaise on more events throughout the Highlands and Islands in the future.

SiMBA Cinderella Ball, 15th Mar 2014

The SiMBA Cinderella Ball was a prestigious Black Tie event at The George Hotel in Edinburgh ~ it was an incredible evening and was a unique way to support SiMBA. Our hosts for the evening are Grant Stott and Marie Clair Munro who helped SiMBA raise an incredible amount of money. The surprise for me of the evening was the announcement that SiMBA wish me to take on the role as Charity Ambassador to the Highlands and Islands, a huge honour and privilege.

Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes

On the 17^th March one of our SiMBA Volunteers Jane Philip was delighted on behalf of SiMBA to receive a cheque for £100 from the RAOB Elgin branch. We are very grateful to Drew and his fellow chapter members for their support of SiMBA.

Soroptomists International Inverness and Nairn

The members of the Inverness and Nairn branch of Soroptomist International continue to support the work of the charity in their area. They held a very successful coffee morning in March in Inverness to raise funds and awareness for the charity and I was honoured to be able to attend. We are very grateful for the work that the group does to promote the charity and enable us to reach those whom the charity can support.

Inverness High School

I was delighted to meet with a fantastic group of 3^rd year students in March at Inverness High School They have chosen SiMBA as the charity they wish to represent in their Youth Philanthropy Initiative. We want to thank them for choosing the charity and wish them all the best as they put their presentation together.

Miami Quiz Night Tue 15^th April 7.30pm

The SiMBA Quiz Night will be a great evening of fun as teams of 4 & 5 compete as they battle it out to become Quiz Champions! There will be a fantastic raffle on the evening and Miami Nightclub, 39 High St, Inverness, are offering great prices on their drinks.

For more information click HERE

Inverness Support Group meets Thur 24^th April 7pm 

The Inverness Support Group continues to meet on the last Thursday of the month from 7-9pm at the Hilton Lighthouse (http://www.hiltonlighthouse.org/). Do pop by for a coffee/tea and chat in a warm, welcoming setting, and bring any photos or memory items you wish to share.

It is not a professional counselling group, all our group facilitators have had training and certification from the Child Bereavement Charity.

Contact Susan on 07771358382 or email simbahighland@gmail.com for more information or to arrange a lift. Find us HERE on Facebook!

Oban Support Group meets Fri 26^th April 7pm

The Oban Support Group continues to meet on the last Friday of the month from 7-9pm at the Regent Hotel (http://www.bespokehotels.com/regenthotel). Do pop by for a coffee/tea and chat in a warm, welcoming setting, and bring any photos or memory items you wish to share.

It is not a professional counselling group, all our group facilitators have had training and certification from the Child Bereavement Charity.

Contact Susan on 07771358382 / 01631 720107 or email simbahighland@gmail.com for more information or to arrange a lift. Find us HERE on Facebook.

Annual Butterfly Release, Oban, 28^th June

SiMBA are delighted to host the first Annual Butterfly Release in the Oban area on 28^th June 2014.

If you would like to be added to the mailing list for this please email Susan on simbahighland@gmail.com. 

SiMBA 2014 Great Glen Challenge, 29^th Jul – 1^st Aug

Highland SiMBA are incredibly excited about this momentous challenge for 2014! 

From Tues 29^th July to Friday 1st Aug 2014, 29 brave souls will be paddling by kayak or Canadian canoe from Fort William to Inverness along the Great Glen. 92km, 22 miles of canal, 4 days, 4 lochs, and 1 monster!

Applications to join as a kayaker / canoeist have now closed but we are still looking for volunteers to help on shore. Contact Susan on 07771358382 or simbahighland@gmail.com for further information and to volunteer or sponsor a kayak/canoe.

Please do stop by and like our page HERE.

Annual Butterfly Release, Inverness, 2nd Aug

We are already taking enquiries about the Annual Butterfly Release to mark the planting of the Inverness Tree of Tranquility. It will be held on Sat 2nd Aug 2014. 

If you would like to be added to the mailing list for this please email Susan on simbahighland@gmail.com. 

Please do join us HERE on Facebook.

If you wish information on any of the items included here, would like to volunteer for SiMBA, or would like to invite me to talk to a group, please contact me on 07771358382 or email simbahighland@gmail.com.

Kind regards

Susan Simpson

SiMBA Highland Ambassador

"Faith isn’t faith until it’s all you’re holding on to”

I am always so inspired when I meet people who do amazing things for something or someone they are passionate about! Aileen is one of those people! 

We first met Aileen and Geordo at parent craft classes just over 9 years ago. None of us knew then that this was their second child they were attending the classes for. 

I am so glad I can share her story with you. 

"My name is Aileen and I’d like to share a wee bit about my story as to why I’m doing this challenge! 

In 2003 I married Graham (or Geordo as he’s also known!). Only a couple of months later on the Saturday between Christmas and New Year I did a test and discovered I was pregnant! I was totally accurate with my dates and was delighted to work out that our baby was due September 3rd 2004.  

6 weeks into pregnancy I started spotting so that meant a scan which showed our ‘nut’ with a little heart beating strongly. Further bleeding and another couple of scans showed the same strong heart beat, but our dates had changed. First to September 10, then to September 13, finally September 17.  

If this hadn’t been our first pregnancy, I think I’d have been more on the ball regarding the dates moving. After all, I knew I’d tested at the earliest moment and my arithmetic isn’t that bad!!!!

My doctor advised me to not do too much – sit and rest when possible – not that easy as a PE teacher!  This wasn’t to protect the baby so much as to protect myself mentally just in case something did go wrong ... I wouldn’t blame myself.  

Easter Monday 12 April, I went to see the midwife for my first Doppler listening in! Geordo was off work so came with me – we were rather excited! Much as she tried, the midwife couldn’t find a heartbeat.

So, Raigmore beckoned for us. I still thought it was ok – we were reassured that this can sometimes happen. The normal scanning place wasn’t available so we were put to the x-ray department.

It was awful – that absolutely horrendous sinking feeling as the person scanning left the room to get a second opinion.  It wasn’t real … yet it was.

Off to ward 9 to meet with a midwife and I truly thank God for giving me Ann that day – I know Ann’s brother really well and I knew she’d gone through the same thing a number of years ago with her own twins.  I knew she understood.

We went home with the understanding that we would come back in the morning for me to be induced.  

After the longest day of my life little Rosie Thomson was born at 11:13pm.  I asked if I should see her – and the Doctor advised no.  That was it.  All over.  

We spent the night in ‘the room’ in ward 10.

The marvellous Iain MacRitchie (hospital chaplain) our friend from church, came to see us the next morning.  He asked if we would like to give our baby a funeral.  At that point we didn’t know if she was male or female – this would be discovered in the coming days.

When we discovered we had a wee girl, I was determined her name would be a cheery name.  And that’s when we came up with the name Rosie.  We later discovered that Rosie was a ‘triploidy’ baby.  In other words, instead of the set of chromosomes she should have got from each parent, she got a full extra set from me.  She would never have survived.

We are blessed with a sister and brother for Rosie - Helen is 9 and Gavin is nearly 7!  

Most people I tell about this challenge think I'm mad, but they have been really encouraging recognising that raising money for SIMBA  is an excellent way to keep Rosie's memory alive!  Rosie will have her 10th birthday this year.  I will also turn 40! So the challenge is not only in her memory, but to kick me up the backside to remind me of the sheer adrenalin kick that a challenge like this will bring.  I’m terrified, but excited!  And certainly, determined."