Bereaved parents honour the memories of their babies and children at the Áras

Bereaved parents Oliver and Maeve living in Cork city joined 24 other families recently at a gathering hosted by Mrs Sabina Higgins, patron of the charity FirstLight, at Áras an Uachtaráin.

Oliver Blackwell, who is also Chairperson of FirstLight, was joined by Eimear Berry, the founder of FirstLight, also known as the Irish Sudden Infant Death Association (ISIDA), having established the charity in 1976 after experiencing the tragic loss of her son, Brendan, to cot death (aka SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) in November 1975.

The morning provided an opportunity for bereaved parents to honour the memories of their babies and children. Oliver conveyed the privilege of representing FirstLight, a unique charity, and the unparalleled nationwide impact it has had on the estimated 8,000 families that the charity has supported since its inception in 1976.

Oliver and Meave welcomed their beautiful baby boy, David, into the world in 2007. However, one morning in January 2009, their lives were shattered when, at just 14 months old, David tragically and unexpectedly died from SIDS.

Reflecting on that heartbreaking day, Maeve said: "It feels like it happened just yesterday. I can clearly remember that Monday morning, in 2009—aptly known as Blue Monday, when we found David. I wasn't feeling well and could hardly get out of bed because of back pain. At the time, I was six months pregnant and had decided to stay in bed and call in sick to work.

“That's when our world came crashing down. After David passed away, we began a gruelling journey through the emotional turmoil faced by any parent who has lost a child.”

Oliver and Meave have significantly supported FirstLight over many years through both astonishing fundraising and as voluntary charity Trustees.

FirstLight's CEO, Jennifer McCarthy Flynn, expressed heartfelt thanks to Mrs Higgins and her remarkable team at the Áras. "Mrs Higgins has been an invaluable patron of FirstLight for the past decade, and we are immensely grateful for the unwavering support and commitment she has shown to our charity, which has profoundly impacted our mission."

If you have been impacted by the death of a child and would like to talk, email info@firstlight.ie.