A CLOVENFORDS couple have walked the walk to raise thousands of pounds in memory of their daughter.

Lana and Welsh Curran took part in the recent Edinburgh Kiltwalk to commemorate daughter Ivy, who died last year at just a day old, and raised nearly £7,000 for the Simpson’s Memory Box Appeal (SiMBA) in the process.

They are hoping the money raised will be used to improve the Eildon room in the Borders General Hospital, which is used by families to say goodbye to loved ones, and help other parents who have shared a similar experience.

Lana, who is a former staff nurse at the special baby care unit at BGH, and Welsh were supported by friends and Lana’s former colleagues on the walk. The team of around 18 walkers who took part called themselves Ivy’s Adventurers.

Lana told us: “During the lead up to the walk I felt very emotional and it got on top of me, but my colleagues and I were all in it together.

“On the way up to Edinburgh I began to feel nervous and excited and at the walk I met some SiMBA people and we shared our stories which was nice.

“It felt nice to do something that made a difference.

“SiMBA are a charity that supplies parents with memory boxes following the loss of a baby. These boxes mean so much to us parents.

"They also provide cuddle cots which enabled us to keep our baby with us for longer, along with the family rooms where we had the space and time to spend together in what was our hardest moments.”

Speaking of the importance of the Eildon room, Lana said: “Ivy was actually transferred to a hospital in Glasgow after delivery so we used the family room there. I was unaware of the huge difference between the one we used and the one at the BGH.

“It is very clinical compared with where we were and so we want to make the BGH room more comfortable so families don’t feel rushed when saying goodbye.

“We are blown away by the support we have received and we look forward to seeing the transformation of the Eildon room at the BGH when it takes place.”