Lola Hope

Our wonderful Lola Hope was born, full term, on November 2nd last year. Although it was a planned c-section she was born blue, floppy and only 5lb 1oz. We had been expecting a “good-sized”, healthy baby. Our beautiful girl needed immediate help with her breathing and once stable was taken straight to Neonatal for further help. Little did we know then that she would stay there for the first 2 months of her life.

It was very clear early on that Lola was extremely poorly and something was seriously wrong. We had to wait 11 days for an official diagnosis where they told us that she had something called Edward’s syndrome, also known as Trisomy 18. It’s an extra chromosome situation, so like Down’s syndrome but the prognosis for these babies is very, very poor.

We were told then that Lola Hope would never leave hospital and we had days rather than weeks with her. We knew something was very wrong before but to hear those words is truly devastating and heartbreaking. As a family we made sure that we took as many photos and made as many memories as possible as we never knew what day would be our last with our beautiful girl.

I could go on all day and talk about her forever (and Lola is already looking at me like I’ve rambled on too much) but the fact is she defied the odds and made it home to be with us, as a family, unlike so many other babies with the same condition and for that I will be forever grateful

We may be in and out of hospital like boomerangs and worry about her constantly but our little warrior has fought so hard from day one to be here and has taught us so much about life and how nothing is impossible. She will forever be the bravest person I’ve had the privilege of meeting and to be her mum is honestly the biggest honour of my life and I couldn’t be prouder of her and her achievements or my her brother and sister, Jack and Ava, for loving her the way they do.

Becca and Chris x