A DUNDEE couple who lost their baby have been the first to benefit from a cuddle cot donated by a local woman who also lost a child.
Menzieshill toddler Eve Reilly died last week, aged 15 months old, having battled with a severe form of epilepsy, called malignant migrating partial seizures of infancy.
Eve’s parents, Rebecca and Stephen Reilly, were given valuable extra time with their baby using a cuddle cot, a special refrigerated bed.
The cuddle cot was one of two that were donated to James Ashton and Son funeral directors by Rachael Clark, from Douglas.
Stephen, 30, said: “We were the first ones to use it and we can’t begin to thank Rachael enough.
Rebecca, 24, added: “It meant Eve could still have her mum’s cosies. She always loved a cosy.
“Rachael donated a piece of equipment that meant we could have longer with Eve. I could still have a cosy with her.”
Rebecca and Stephen were able to spend a week with Eve — instead of a matter of hours — in the funeral directors using the cuddle cot.
Stephen added: “We are just so thankful to Rachael — she is amazing.”
Rachael previously told the Tele of her heartbreak after delivering stillborn Trey. The ordeal inspired her to fundraise for a cuddle cot.
She was motivated by the hope that other families would be able to spend more time with their children after they passed.
The 22-year-old said: “Hearing about Rebecca and Stephen makes me feel like I have done something really good.
“I just don’t understand why they weren’t readily available before.
“It wasn’t available for me. Now I can see just how valuable they are to people.
“I just wish that I was afforded the opportunity to use one with Trey.
“It makes me feel so much better knowing that it is helping people.
“It was delivered only on Thursday and it was used on the Friday by Rebecca and Stephen, so it was in use the very next day.”
After Eve’s passing, Stephen and Rebecca set out to raise money for ward 29 in Ninewells Hospital where she was cared for during her short life.