Couple using daughter's tragic death to help bereaved Sheffield parents

Lisa and Nik Fletcher said their ‘world came crashing down’ when daughter Lillie Grace died in October.

The couple, from Killamarsh, had been excited to welcome their new daughter after conceiving on their second attempt at IVF.

Lisa, aged 42, who has three children from a previous marriage, said: “Losing Lillie Grace is the most devastating thing we have been through in our lives.

“Losing a child three days before due date, especially after the pain and heartache of IVF, is so painful. Our world came crashing down.

“It’s not just losing a child, though – we lost our future too. We had everything planned; her christening gown, everything.”

Lisa said the exact cause of her daughter’s death remains unknown as they opted not to have a postmortem.

Following their loss, the couple were ‘helped massively’ by the support of charity Sands, a stillbirth and neonatal death charity.

But, to their surprise, the couple’s nearest support centre was in Chesterfield.

Lisa said: “We looked at counsellors and support groups in Sheffield, but there was nothing specifically for parents who had lost a child. We couldn’t believe it.”

Now the couple are in the process of opening their own centre in the city. Lisa said: “A group in Sheffield would be so beneficial for parents going through losing a child.

“My husband wants to do it as well, which is great. People always think men are alright and don’t see how hard it is for them too.”

The couple have also raised thousands of pounds for the charity. At Lillie Grace’s funeral £6,600 was raised.

By October, the first anniversary of her death, the couple are aiming to raise another £3,000.

For more information visit uk-sands.org/support