Monday 5th September
I sat in our living room thinking about this blog I created
in memory of our Isabella and promoting awareness for CHD, and the promotion of
better screening for expectant mother, I created this blog back in early July
and never officially launched it. Around may head it went on, do I launch this
blog that spills my heart to the world during the most hardest time of my
entire life, would people think that I am dragging our story out and looking
for attention? No is the answer, I must do this I have to do this and give my
daughter a voice, along with all the parents that have gone through this also,
and not forgetting the future parents the ones who may follow down the same
journey as we did if I did not speak up. I stared at my laptop for ages, while
Kevin sat across from me not knowing what dilemma I was facing, until I looked
across at Isabella’s picture in our living room, my heart raced and an over
whelming sense of panic of the thought of any baby being brought into this
world and not having the optimum care possible because it was not detected, and
before I knew it I pressed the button to launch our journey into the world.
One of my Glow heart friends Gillian O’Donoghue messaged me
in a matter of minutes and asked if she can share my blog to her ‘Glow Hearts for Crumlin’ page, of course I replied I want everyone to see our journey and
help create awareness, amazing messages started to come and my passion and
determination grew, grew, I felt accepted, I felt emotional but most of all I
felt I had a sense of duty to our daughter and parents across Ireland.
I knew the next step would be to get my marketing head on
and draw up a plan for our campaign, an hour past after my post was shared, I
checked the visits to my blog from 40 views now at 3,000 views, I could not
believe it, then Gillian messaged me ‘In the last hour your post on our page
(Glow Hearts for Crumlin) and has reached 5,000 people and has been shared 18
times’ then over night it went up to 14,000 and 50 shares and still climbing.
This just proves how many other parents, relatives and friends this subject has
touched, there really is an incredible about of similar stories some who gained
angels and some still fighting all the way.
12.30pm that very same evening my phone rings and its a
private number, who could be calling me? Paul Byne from TV3 news, he is such a
gentleman, he explained that he read my blog and was so touched by our story
and wanted to meet with me tomorrow morning Tuesday 6th September
for an interview which would be aired on TV3 news that very same day, I jumped
at the chance as I knew this could be such a great chance to start our
campaign.
Tuesday 6th September
The doorbell rings, 9am and Paul and his camera man Rory
both came in, he took the time to say how sorry he was for our loss and
listened to our story, hanging on every word I said, they set up in our kitchen
where I had some of Isabella’s photos and memory box on the table to show them,
I remember feeling nervous but I had a sense of calm aswell knowing that I am
doing this for every parent and parent to be here in Ireland. The interview
started and everything just poured out of my heart, trying my best to push the
message out there and for the health service to listen up, take note and make
some change.
Once the 12.30 news came on I was shaking, I was actually at
home alone just about to watch myself on TV, all of sudden Isabella’s images
came up, I had a lump in my throat, I placed my hand over my mouth trying to
take in what is happening. My daughter has done this, she is a miracle, once it
finished I remember bursting into tears as a sense of our daughter has really
gone, I know that may sound crazy but it really sunk in with me at that point,
but for some amazing turn around she is most certainly not forgotten. Throughout the day I could not even tell you
how many times my phone rang, radio, TV, press friends, family supporting our
campaign and to reach out to the HSE and try our best to put in place a
standardized routine screening to all expectant mothers nationwide in Ireland.
Watch my interview with Paul Bryne on TV3 News
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