A MUM left devastated by the stillbirth of her baby girl is ready to cherish her memory 21 years on – in the hope that she can help other grieving parents.

Michele Thomas, from Port Glasgow, has spoken about the heartbreaking moments when she realised her little baby Michele would never draw her first breath.

All these years later the pain has never left and she wants to shed more light on the grief faced by families.

She will be surrounded by her family and friends for a poignant fundraising night for stillbirth charity SANDS on February 20, which would have been Michele’s 21st.

Michele, 37, of Methil Avenue, said: “It had been eating away at me.

“I felt like I had to do something for what would have been her 21st.

“It is a special birthday and I would have been buying her stuff and spoiling her.

“It still hurts today. I still can’t watch things about it on the television, it hurts too much – EastEnders recently had a stillbirth storyline and I couldn’t watch.

“I wanted to do this because I want to help others like me.

“There are some people coming who have also been through the same pain.”
Michelle was only 16 when suffered the loss of her baby.

She said: “I had had a normal pregnancy. A couple of days before I had been at the midwife and everything was fine. Then at 38 weeks and five days I went into labour.

“But when I got to the hospital they couldn’t find a heartbeat. I then had to give birth. I was with my mum and my baby’s dad.

“I had never heard of a stillbirth.”

Michele went on to have son Josh, 19, and daughter Morgan, 17, who will be there to support her on the night of the fundraisers.

She said: “The hospital were really supportive when I was pregnant again and I had lots of scans. They also took me in three weeks early to give birth.”

She married her husband Ross last year and had a special picture of her daughter in her bouquet.

Michele, who works as a classroom assistant at Notre Dame High School, added: “They don’t know why Michele died and all these years later it hasn’t changed. This still happens and there are no answers.

“Britain has the highest rates of stillbirths in the world. I want to support SANDS because they are trying to help people."

Michele has been overwhelmed by the support from local people who have offered her lots of donations.

She was delighted by a signed Morton top, courtesy of of the club’s youth player Ruaridh Langan, and a tour of Ibrox Stadium.

The charity night takes takes place on Saturday February 20 in the Upper Port Glasgow Social Club, with tickets priced £5.

Raffle prize donations are welcome and to find out more email michele_oneill2004@yahoo.co.uk