Crushed family hosts colourful event as they prepare to say goodbye to unborn son

As the inspirational Miller family come to terms with what lies ahead, they have been busy fundraising for the place they will likely spend their final precious moments together – Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice.

Katy and Daniel Miller were overjoyed to discover they had fallen pregnant with their third child in May, and after their 12-week-scan were delighted to announce that a baby boy would be joining his two sisters.

But over the next eight weeks, the family’s world was turned upside down with a series of earth-shattering revelations about the baby they plan to call Oscar.

It was discovered he has a congenital heart defect meaning he only has half a heart, and was later diagnosed with several other life-threatening conditions. The family were forced to make decisions about their unborn baby’s future that no expectant parent would ever want to make.

Mum Katy, 29, said: “These decisions were just a complete whirlwind and absolutely destroyed us emotionally.

“Our baby will be born critically ill. I am now 33 weeks pregnant and we’re making preparations to say goodbye to our unborn son.”

Through the heartbreak and devastation, the courageous family decided they wanted Oscar’s life to make a difference to other families in similar circumstances.

Katy added: “Rather than having a baby shower, which didn’t seem right, I still wanted to try and get close family and friends together in a safe and socially distanced way to celebrate his life – and to give something back to the place where we will likely spend our last moments together

“What better way to do that than by having a Colour Throw and bringing the people we love together.”

An emotional, poignant and bittersweet day followed on October 3, where a small number of close family and friends gathered outside to cover one another in all the colours of the rainbow, raising more than £3,000 for the hospice.

The remarkable family now plan to host a memorial fundraiser each year to celebrate Oscar’s life and raise funds for Bluebell Wood.

Find out more about Bluebell Wood’s Colour Throw at www.bluebellwood.org/Event/your-own-colour-throw.