Name: Sophie Harragan
Organisation: Kolby’s Footprints
Award Category: Volunteer Of The Year
Sponsored By:
Voting is now closed
My Plea:
In March 2018 my second much loved son was born, Kolby. He arrived seven weeks prematurely. His older brother Kody had arrived six weeks early so my hospital bags were well and truly packed around 20 weeks this time around.
Kolby was 3lbs 12 of pure perfection, so delicate, so beautiful. Kolby’s journey took us to 16 days stay on neonatal split in two hospitals, something we never had to experience with his big brother.
Having a premature baby is hard, I have now experienced from two different perspectives, but overall neonatal life is hard! The neonatal nurses were incredible, the babies were true warriors but as a mother of two I felt torn. I’d sit with Kolby long hours each day, and we would go home in the evenings to spend time with our oldest son. Reflecting back, this wasn’t really time, as exhaustion took over and him being only 3.5yrs at the time meant he would be asleep and, having had major surgery, I would also be asleep not much longer after.
‘When your child is born and you’re restricted to when you can hold and cuddle him, when you can take him home, or even when you can start to feed him there is no way to describe just how heart-breaking that is. All I could do was sit with him, cuddle when he was able to and eventually start doing my mum things, such as changing his nappy, bed bathing and eventually was able to start to help feed him.’
Neonatal life was hard, draining and exhausting, both physically and mentally, but I really would give anything to go back to living life on neonatal if it meant I could see my baby again. At day 14 of Kolby’s short-lived life he became unexpectedly poorly. He had showed no signs to us as parents, nurses, doctors or consultants so it all happened very quickly. On day 16 my life changed forever, my beautiful boy grew his angel wings in my arms. I can honestly say I don’t know how I have lived a year and a half without him, no pain is comparable to losing your child, it is unimaginable the pain you feel. Every day I think of him, every day we as a family speak about him, and slowly through raising awareness and speaking openly more and more people aren’t afraid to mention his name to me.
‘I know everyone cares and tries to not make you sad but to me why wouldn’t I want to hear my babies name? After all, we were blessed with 16 days on earth with him, seven-and-a-bit months of feeling him grow inside of me, kicking, hiccups and more.’
We struggled to accept that only a few days before we were preparing to bring our baby home within the next week, yet that weekend that was it. As parents, how could we accept this was really happening let alone explain it to his big brother back at home? That’s when Kolby’s Footprints started. As a family we grieve each day, as a family we speak of our baby, as a family we fundraise and help the two hospitals that cared for our Kolby (Broomfield Hospital & Addenbrookes Hospital). We supply keepsake memory boxes full of things to capture lasting memories such as hand and foot kits, mould kits, teddies and more, and, from our experience of parenting after baby loss, created the “sibling bag”; Each contains a teddy which is microwavable to cuddle and provide warming comfort, a book explaining death in a way a child is more able to understand. We have helped fund the cost of a headstone, provided neonatal equipment and more, raising approx. £10,000 in just under one year. I feel so thankful to everyone who has helped Kolby’s Footprints achieve this and supported our journey in helping Kolby’s memory live on.
‘Kolby’s Footprints will forever be helping others who suffer the loss of a baby or supporting where we can with babies that make an early appearance. I will make sure his memory lives on by helping others and leaving his little footprint on many hearts’.
What Others Have Said
Sophie/Kolbys footprints is a well deserved candidate for this award. I for one am very proud of all she has achieved so far whilst still dealing with her own sadness loosing her son Kolby but still manages to constantly put others first for this cause and raising awareness and funds continually.
Sophie is someone that is outstanding beautiful and strong inside and out she cares about everyone what sophie has done in her sons name is something I feel is ground breaking in this day and age and that’s breaking the silence and making people talk about the sadness that many people have to face daily she is a supportive caring amazing women and is deserving to be recognized
Sophie is truly one of the strongest people I know. Her hard work and determination radiates through out everything she does.
Through the darkest times of her life she still manages to put other people first.
She has put countless hours into Kolbys footprints to make sure the hospitals are supplied with memory boxes, she has raised money to help families going through the same thing.. and she has stayed up countless nights being a listening ear to families who have been through similar traumas but have no one to turn to.
She truly is selfless. I would love nothing more than to see her win this award.. not just because o,f everything but because she deserves it. Love you Soph.. keep making all your boys proud
What an amazing woman so strong she deserves to win x
An amazing local support. My vote goes to Sophie. Thanks for all that you do.
Such an amazing strong lady x
I cannot imagine anyone more deserving of this award than Sophie – she is a truly exceptional woman – since losing Kolby she has helped so many families to help comfort them at the most devasting time of their lives. I am in awe of how she continues to do this amazing work whilst coping further devasting loss ? – she is an incredible woman and so deserving of this award.
After losing 2 babies many years ago thanks to Sophie I can now talk openly about them both
she is truly inspirational and courageous ??
Wishing you all the best Sophie x
Amazing cause strong lady
You deserve this award so much Sophie. I am so lucky to have your support at Broomfield Hospital, supplying the most wonderful memory boxes and sibling packs to our families. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, I think you are incredible xx
Vote for Sophie Harragan
This lady has helped my sister so much when her baby grew her wings she is an incredible woman vote for her
I vote for Sophie (Kolb’s footprints) She is truly amazing to have started this charity when her whole world had just fallen apart but I’m not surprised as she is someone who thinks of others before herself.
Voting for Sophie ❤️
❤️ amazing woman xx
A truly amazing and inspirational young woman, when Kolby gained his wings despite having her world fall apart her thoughts turned to helping others, then following the tragic loss of her partner and now Brogan has joined his brother and daddy and gained his wings far too soon, she still continues to put others first. Please vote for this truly wonderful woman.
Wish you all the best for the vote, all your hard work and determination, strong willingness and inspiration deserves to be recognised. For everything you have gone through, you’ve always had the strength to carry on. Your amazing x
Sophie is an amazing woman,always giving of herself even when she s in pain. i vote for her.God bless.♥
It’s sometimes really hard to be a caring and compassionate human after a heart stopping trauma; and to help others In a crisis that you’ve suffered through yourself while still grieving is astonishing. Sophie is truly a beautiful human.
I hope more than anything you win this. I have never met someone who has been through so many losses in such a short space of time but still finds time to help others, continually. You are amazing. Your a winner to everyone whatever happens ??
Sophie Harragan is a wonderful young woman she’s a loving mother & daughter she’s been through more than any human deserves and rather than curl up and let depression take over has soldiered on raising money and helping others that have suffered all the time being a great mum to her little boy this award would just be a small recognition of all her work ❤️❤️
As Sophies mum – I can not be prouder of my daughter – as well as kolby my daughter has lost more than I thought her heart could take – the loss of her fiancé and also the loss of of now little brogan born sleeping – she still fighting every day still fund raising still a mum to kody now 5. – all whilst deep down her heart is broken – so this is why my daughter deserves this award – this is true dedication to help others to help raise awareness of these things like this do happen daily ! Sadly It’s not always a happy ending – Sophie is a warrior and I am so very proud of everything she is doing ??
Sophie has such an admirable strength in her and her charity is so deserving of this. What an amazing woman. ?
An amazing young lady, that has gone through more than anyone should have too. And still she smiles and has such energy and always doing something.