Goya Dmytryshchak
After the heartbreaking loss of their baby boy, Theo, an Altona Meadows’ couple is walking 20 kilometres to raise funds for cuddle cots to help other families.
Rebecca and Chris Koutroulos say that a cuddle cot at Sunshine’s hospital gave them two days with their precious son in their darkest hour.
“After the heartbreaking loss of our son Theo, on October 7, who was born still at 26 weeks, my husband and I were provided with the greatest gift on our darkest day,“ Mrs Koutroulos said.
“Chris and I were given the gift of time with our precious son through the use of a cuddle cot.“
A cuddle cot is a cooling system that lays beneath the baby within a bassinet.
“It enables families like us to keep their baby close and create beautiful memories together, spending as much time as they wish with their baby, before saying goodbye,“ Mrs Koutroulos said.
“These are the precious memories that both ourselves and other families will hold onto for the rest of our lives.“
The couple has planned a fundraising event called, ’Theo’s 20km Sunrise Walk of Honour Around the Bay’.
The walk will be held on Theo’s due date, January 16, and aims to raise $13,000 for two cuddle cots purchased through Bears of Hope, a pregnancy and infant loss support organisation.
“We’ve been looking for a way to give back and the more research that we’ve done into it the more we’ve realised that there are some Australian hospitals out there that don’t have access to the cuddle cots,“ Mrs Koutroulos said.
To donate, visit cuddlecot.gofundraise.com.au/page/Rebecca-52636767
