At a cheque presentation filled with emotion and community spirit, Kelsey Moran stood up, not just as a grieving mum, but as someone determined to turn heartbreak into hope.
“I’m better at writing than speaking,” she admitted in her message, “so I’m sorry to whoever had to read this out loud!” But her words carried a powerful story, one that started in March 2023, when she gave birth to her son Mali at 34 weeks.
It was a day filled with unimaginable pain, but also something she never expected: the gift of time. Thanks to a special bereavement cot provided by the Royal Oldham Hospital, Kelsey got to spend 12 precious hours with her baby boy. She held him, spoke to him, and made memories that will stay with her forever.
“He may not have needed the usual things,” she said, “but I wasn’t going to let him leave without knowing my touch, my smell, and my voice.”
But that day also opened her eyes to something heartbreaking. All three of the hospital’s cots were in use. What if another family had needed one that night? Who would’ve had to say goodbye sooner?
That question sparked something in Kelsey. She and her mum sat down and decided they had to do something. They started fundraising in Mali’s name, determined to give other families the same chance to say goodbye properly.
The community of Rochdale stepped up in a big way. There were raffles, donations, and even a sponsored walk by the Eye Ward at Rochdale Infirmary. Together, they smashed their £3,000 goal and raised over £4,000.
“This money gives families time,” Kelsey said. “It keeps Mali’s name alive and gives comfort to people who don’t even know they need it yet.”
She hopes the cots never have to be used, but if they are, she wants them to bring peace and comfort in the hardest moments. And she’s not stopping here. Kelsey’s already working on ways to improve care for bereaved families and plans to keep fundraising.
“To everyone who helped make this happen, thank you from the bottom of my heart,” she said. “My face might be behind the story, but you all did the hard work. And to my little one in the sky, this one’s for you, buddy.”