Mum's appeal to help pay for headstone

A woman who suffered the lost of a child to a rare condition is raising money to pay for a headstone to remember him by.

Charlotte Hamilton also wants to raise awareness of gastroschisis, a little-known condition which affected her son Blake, who was stillborn two years ago.

Miss Hamilton, 25, has launched on online fundraising campaign and will hold a sponsored walk on March 25 to help pay for the headstone at Pontefract Cemetery for Blake, who would have been two years old on March 7.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She said “The worst thing is when you go to the cemetery and you see people in front of you who have a headstone.”

Miss Hamilton, of Tennyson Way, Pontefract, also wants to donate to Avery’s Angels.

The US-based charity helps families affected by the condition and campaigns for research into the causes.

Miss Hamilton said little was known about the condition in the UK.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She said: “I just think they know so much more about it in America.

“But I know there are people in this area who had babies with it. I think it’s becoming more common but we don’t know what causes it.”

Just over £1,000 has so far been raised to pay for the headstone. Miss Hamilton thanked generous donors including Mark Blackburn, who gave £600.

On Friday, March 25, a sponsored walk in fancy dress will be held from Wakefield to Whitwood.

Anybody who can help can find the fundraising page at www.gofundme.com/xx8hpnbc

To find out more about Avery’s Angels log on to www.averysangels.org