Personal tragedy gives British mother determination to help families on Costa del Sol whose babies are stillborn

A tragedy that struck a British family resident on the Costa del Sol earlier this year has resulted in a campaign to help mothers and families spend a little more time with babies that are stillborn. Hayley Wilkins, who moved to Estepona in 2020, and who now lives in Manilva, gave birth to a baby girl on 19 January 2025 after being rushed to Hospiten Estepona after complications.

“I was rushed for a crash C section. My last memory was begging the surgeon to please save my baby. Whilst I was under, my body reacted to the trauma and my lung collapsed. I was placed into an induced coma. Our beautiful Sienna Elizabeth Rose O’Shea was born sleeping at 40 weeks. My partner and family were not only told we had lost our beautiful angel, they were told I may not make it either,” the 40-year-old former care worker told SUR in English.

Unfortunately, the hospital did not have a ‘cuddle cot’, a cooling crib that allows families extended time with their baby to take photos, create precious memories, allow family time to travel to see the baby, and to make funeral arrangements without feeling rushed.

Within hours, the funeral directors turned up at the hospital and took Sienna to a funeral home “two hours away”. Due to being in a critical condition, Wilkins was not allowed to leave the hospital to make the journey to see her baby, but after four days, she discharged herself from hospital to make the journey to finally hold Sienna in her arms - “one of my happiest and saddest memories”.

“On waking from my coma, a day I’ll never forget, I was told my baby had passed away. The fact that I would not be able to hold her was the most heartbreaking thing in the world,” the grieving mother added.

This traumatic experience gave Wilkins the determination to try to make “changes here in Spain” so that other families faced with this situation do not have to “go through the same dreadful experience”.

With the help of friends and family, she set up a GoFundMe page, and also began raising money via social media and at events in order to supply hospitals with a cuddle cot, an “essential” device that costs around 2,500 euros. Earlier this month, she supplied these devices to the Hospiten Estepona and Quiron Marbella hospitals, and she also has two lined up for hospitals in Madrid and Seville, and she intends to continue her campaign to make sure that more hospitals can supply this invaluable service to other grieving families

“It is so important that people are aware this is now available at these hospitals. I am also appealing to other hospitals to come forward to be put on our waiting list for donations.

“Sienna touched so many people and impacted the world without even touching the ground,” she concluded.

The next fundraising event, which will include a fashion show, entertainment and a market, will take place at La Sala (Puerto Banús) on Tuesday 4 June.

For more information, contact Hayley Wilkins on hayleywilkinselite@gmail.com