Fiona McConnell lost her baby Haylee 10 years ago but has found a way to honour her. Picture: DAMIAN VISENTINI
By LAURA WAKELY
JUNE 18 will always be Haylee’s birthday.
But she’ll never blow out the candles on a birthday cake, unwrap a present or throw a party.
Haylee Angelica McConnell is one of the thousands of babies who die unexpectedly each year.
Some are stillborn, like Haylee, others from sudden instant death syndrome (SIDS) or accidents, leaving their families with grief and questions that may always remain unanswered.
“You hear about it but you don’t think it’ll happen to you,” Haylee’s mum Fiona said.
Thankfully, SIDS and Kids were there to provide support and Fiona has never forgotten what that meant.
“It’s important for a lot of parents that are going through it,” she said.
“It’s a network where you help each other out.”
Determined to make sure the work of SIDS and Kids continues, Fiona turned Intencity, the arcade she manages at Sunshine Plaza, into a fundraiser for the organisation.
She said it was the perfect fundraiser for the organisation which uses red clown noses to bring “lightness” to the tragedy of lost children.
The family fun day fundraiser was held on Sunday, raising thousands of dollars for SIDS and Kids.
They opened up their arcade machines for five hours, using raffles, games and prizes to drum up money for the organisation.
Fiona hopes the event will be the first of many for the arcade.
But it’s not hard for anyone to make a difference.
Red Nose Day is this Friday and every dollar raised from the purchase of a red nose will go towards the research, education, support and advocacy work the organisation does.
Fiona and her family visit the “garden of angels” every year, watching it “grow with children”.
Haylee has never been forgotten, not even by the brother and sister she never met.
Last Monday would have been Haylee’s 10th birthday.
A red nose could be the perfect gift.
