A team of Birmingham City legends will be taking to the pitch once again to support a hospital secretary’s fundraising for a maternity unit that supported her after a devastating miscarriage.
Tragically Laura Bell, who works at Heartlands Hospital, part of Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, as a bariatric dietician’s secretary, lost a little baby boy after finding out at her 20 week scan that he had passed away from a rare condition called Amniotic Band Syndrome. Following this, Laura stayed on the Eden Suite at Heartlands to deliver the baby.
Happily Laura, from Shard End, who is mum to a two-and-a-half year old girl, is expecting again but is determined to help the Eden Suite and its staff who supported her through such a difficult time.
She said: “The care and support we received on the Eden Suite was brilliant. We received far more than we would ever have thought – we had a funeral, a memory box, photo handprints and a free blanket, teddy bear and candle. We were made to feel really comfortable at a difficult time.
“We found out that much of this is only possible because of donations so we were really keen to look at how we could give something back to the Eden Suite.”
Laura’s Birmingham City supporting husband and keen footballer Rob was put in touch with long-serving Midlands radio host Tom Ross, who runs the Birmingham City Legends team and he was only too happy to help.
Therefore the Blues legends team will be taking on an ‘Eden Suite XI’ made up of Rob, as well as friends and teammates in a special match on Sunday 18 September at the Onward Club in Chelmsley Wood. Gates open at 10am and kick-off is 11am.
The make-up of the Birmingham City legends team is not yet known but players to have turned out for the side before include Kevan Broadhurst, Geoff Horsfield, Paul Devlin, Martin O’Connor, Michael Johnson and Jeff Kenna.
Claire Beesley, bereavement support midwife at Heartlands, said: “It is wonderful that Laura and Rob have decided to organise this match to raise funds for the Eden Suite. The donations received make a huge difference to the suite and how we can best support our patients going through what can be a devastating experience. I wish them every success with the match.”
Tickets for the match are available by calling Rob on 07900 087139 priced at £3 for adults and £1 for children. There will also be a raffle featuring some great prizes, as well as kids’ games, a children’s entertainer and a bar/refreshments. Further information is available at https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/BCFCLegendsvsEdenSuite11 or by searching BCFC Legends vs Eden Suite 11 on Facebook.
