Wakefield family donates second cold cot to Pinderfields Hospital to help bereaved families

A family gathered in front of a cold cot they donated

A Wakefield family has donated a second cold cot to Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust in memory of Isaac and Cain, two beloved babies who were tragically born sleeping.

Taylor Simpson and Matthew Kent’s son, Isaac, was born on 1 July 2023 at 39 weeks. Thanks to the use of a cold cot - a specialist cooling device that preserves a baby’s appearance after death - the family were able to spend precious time with him in hospital. That experience inspired them to raise money to donate an additional cot to help other families facing the heartbreak of stillbirth.

Taylor said:

I carried Isaac to 39 weeks and two days when my whole life changed forever as I heard those dreadful words: ‘There’s no heartbeat.’ Our little angel was born weighing 8lb 4oz, with the most beautiful locks of hair which shocked us all - especially as our daughter, Amelia, didn’t have any until she was two!

When Isaac was born, we promised him we would get a cold cot in his memory. Without the one we had we wouldn't have had the precious time with him that we did. For this, we are forever grateful to the Lucian family who donated it.

On the day of Isaac’s funeral, Taylor and Matthew asked for donations in lieu of flowers. Taylor’s mother, Kelly, helped raise additional funds through raffles and bake sales during Baby Loss Awareness Week. In total, they raised over £3,100 - enough to purchase a cold cot through the charity Abigail’s Footsteps.

The family have now donated a second cold cot to the Trust, this time in memory of Taylor’s brother Cain, who was also born sleeping in 1994.

Taylor's mum, Kelly, said:

On 1 July 2023, the world welcomed our precious grandson Isaac, but he slipped away from us, born sleeping. In his memory, we felt an overwhelming surge of love and determination to make a difference.

“But Isaac was not our first heartbreak. My first son, Cain, was also born sleeping in 1994. We longed for the warm embrace and cherished moments that eluded us back then. So we vowed to honour Cain in the same spirit we honoured Isaac.

To mark what would have been Cain’s 30th birthday, Kelly hosted a charity evening on 19 October 2024, complete with a three-course meal, auction, and raffle. The funds raised enabled the purchase of a second cold cot, dedicated to Cain’s memory.

Kelly added:

If we can touch just one family, granting them precious moments and the comfort that enveloped us following Isaac’s arrival, then our hearts will find solace in knowing that, through our pain, we are extending a lifeline to others facing this heart-wrenching journey. Our family’s mission is fuelled by love, and in supporting those who suffer, we find our own healing amidst the shadows of loss.

Helen Holland, Bereavement Midwife at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust, said:

We are incredibly grateful to Taylor, Matthew, Kelly and their whole family for their compassion, strength and generosity. The donation of not one but two cold cots in memory of Isaac and Cain is a deeply meaningful gift. These cots will make a profound difference to other families, offering them the precious gift of time and helping them to begin to process their grief with the support and dignity they deserve.