CHAS: Larbert family urge people to donate to charity's Christmas Memories Appeal after support for baby Layla

Earlier this year, we told of the tragedy experienced by Kimberley and Craig Turnbull from Larbert, who lost little Layla, aged only 15 months in February.

Layla and twin sister Sophia had been born six weeks premature on October 15, 2021. But while Sophia who weighed 4lbs 12.5oz at birth only needed to spend one week in intensive care, there were more concerns for Layla, who was just 3lbs 9oz.

The tiny tot spent nearly all her short life in hospital but the family were able to make memories, including bringing her home for Christmas last year thanks to CHAS.

Now the couple are urging people to support the charity’s Christmas Memories Appeal to allow CHAS to continue providing dedicated, specialist care to dying children and their families.

It comes after the charity reported a 25 per cent increase in specialist family support requests from families of children with life-shortening conditions.

Kimberley, said: “I can’t describe the mix of pure joy and terror we felt as we held our first born baby girl while her sister was fighting for her life a few feet away.”

The little baby was immediately placed on a ventilator, as she was unable to breathe on her own. Doctors also noticed that Layla could barely move and diagnosed her with arthrogryposis, a term used to describe a variety of conditions involving multiple joint contractures or stiffness, and which was the likely cause of her breathing difficulties.

As soon as she was stable enough, Layla was given a tracheostomy to help her breathe but after only two weeks, she had to go back on a ventilator as doctors struggled to get to the bottom of what was causing Layla’s health issues.

Kimberley, a GP in Forth Valley, said: “We were told it was possible that she had a condition so unique and rare that they would never find out what was wrong with Layla.

“We thought we would get to take Layla home after the tracheostomy but instead she spent the next year in the Glasgow Children’s Hospital, including our first family Christmas, and we watched helplessly as Layla was revived twelve more times.”

It was at Glasgow Children’s Hospital that the family was referred to CHAS and offered respite visits at Robin House, the charity’s hospice in Balloch plus additional support from the charity’s CHAS at Home team.

Craig, a radio journalist who previously worked for the Falkirk Herald, said: “We didn’t want Layla to spend her whole life in hospital so we jumped at the chance to go to Robin House and spend time together as a family.”

However, as Layla needed constant medical supervision, it was impossible for the family to bring her home for longer than a few days at a time.

Craig said: “We were desperate not to spend another Christmas in the neo-natal ward and wanted to get Layla home for a proper family Christmas, with both our girls together.”

To help make the families wish come true, staff from the CHAS at Home team worked in partnership with the team at Forth Valley Complex Care Team so Layla could come home to her mum, dad and twin sister for five days over Christmas last year.

Craig added: “Without the help of CHAS, Layla would have gone back into the hospital on Christmas Day. Instead, she got to wake up to our cuddles, open presents with her sister, eat Christmas dinner with our whole family, and get tucked in to her own bed at night. Thanks to the support of CHAS, Christmas 2022 really was a magical one for our whole family.”

This precious memory has become even more poignant when on February 7 Layla died suddenly in hospital.

Kimberley said: “The shock and pain of losing Layla so suddenly and unexpectedly has been incredibly difficult to bear, especially as she had been doing so well and we were hoping we finally could bring her home.

“Nothing will ever truly ease the pain of losing your child but having precious memories like our Christmas together at home last year, has helped us tremendously.

CHAS’ ‘Christmas Memories Appeal’ which launched on November 7, aims to give dying children and their families across Scotland the gift of time to make precious memories together at this special time of year and ensure that no-one ever has to face the death of their child alone.

To raise awareness across Scotland about the important work CHAS does, the charity has also created a brand new TV advert and a radio advert which is being broadcast in the run-up to Christmas to further raise the profile of the new CHAS appeal. CHAS needs to raise over £12million this year to enable the charity to continue to deliver hospice and palliative care for children.

Iain McAndrew, director of income generation and engagement, fundraising and communications at CHAS, said: “The Christmas Memories Appeal marks the biggest campaign we’ve ever launched to enable us to continue providing vital and unwavering support to children and families right across Scotland.

“As well as providing specialist end of life care, CHAS also assists families in other important ways including offering respite stays, bereavement advice and counselling, hospice at home and help with managing finances and debt. Our dedicated teams also offer support on how to access care packages and advice on special adaptations for their homes as well as providing emotional and practical support.

“The breadth of support we offer simply would not be possible without our generous supporters who give love and strength to those in the greatest need and we hope that this Christmas people will consider donating what they can to our festive appeal to help us ensure that no-one has to face the death of their child alone.”

This Christmas will be bittersweet for Kimberley and Craig as they face their first Christmas without Layla but they feel very blessed to have very recently welcomed a new addition into the family.

Kimberley said: “Two weeks after Layla died, I found out I was pregnant. We had so many mixed emotions – grief and joy – but we felt blessed that Layla left us with a special parting gift. Keira Layla Turnbull was born on the October 24 and she is doing really well.

“It’s hard knowing we will never be able to make new memories with Layla and that she’ll never get to meet her new baby sister but because of CHAS, we have wonderful, happy memories to share with both our girls so they’ll know just how amazing Layla truly was and her memory will live on in all of us.

“Having Layla home for Christmas last year really was the greatest gift we could have asked for. We’re so privileged to be able to share her story and through her memory help raise awareness of the amazing work CHAS do.

“We hope through people’s generosity donating to CHAS this Christmas, they can help make other families Christmas wishes come true.”