Inspiring Leeds woman who suffered heartbreak of losing mum and baby within one month launches fundraiser

An inspirational Leeds woman is fundraising for a hospital charity after tragically losing both her baby daughter and mother within a month during the pandemic.
By Daniel Sheridan
Published 30th Apr 2021, 18:57 GMT
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Arti Solanki, 31, woke up with severe pains and realised she was bleeding on August 30 last year - just one week after her baby shower.

Arti, whose family live on the outskirts of Leeds was rushed to hospital at just 31 weeks pregnant and was separated from her husband Raj, 38, who was not allowed inside due to COVID restrictions.

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Her daughter Ra-ang was born without a heartbeat, but thankfully was revived by staff before being transferred to the Neonatal Unit at Leeds Children’s Hospital.

An inspirational Leeds woman is fundraising for a hospital charity after the tragically losing both her baby daughter and mother within a month during the pandemic.An inspirational Leeds woman is fundraising for a hospital charity after the tragically losing both her baby daughter and mother within a month during the pandemic.
An inspirational Leeds woman is fundraising for a hospital charity after the tragically losing both her baby daughter and mother within a month during the pandemic.

Arti remembers feeling so lost and helpless at the time.

She said: “I kept thinking, what have I done wrong, why had this happened to me?

"I would call my mum from the hospital every day in floods of tears, she was my absolute rock.”

However in a tragic turn of events, while Ra-ang was still on a ventilator in hospital, Arti's mum Hansaben started to feel unwell.

An inspirational Leeds woman is fundraising for a hospital charity after the tragically losing both her baby daughter and mother within a month during the pandemic.An inspirational Leeds woman is fundraising for a hospital charity after the tragically losing both her baby daughter and mother within a month during the pandemic.
An inspirational Leeds woman is fundraising for a hospital charity after the tragically losing both her baby daughter and mother within a month during the pandemic.
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Hansaben - a much loved staff member of Morrisons - was advised to get a COVID test, which later came back positive.

She was taken to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where she was put on a ventilator.

Sadly, after 19 days in hospital, Hansaben passed away on October 30.

Arti remembers one morning her father frantically calling out for her and she knew something was seriously wrong.

An inspirational Leeds woman is fundraising for a hospital charity after the tragically losing both her baby daughter and mother within a month during the pandemic.An inspirational Leeds woman is fundraising for a hospital charity after the tragically losing both her baby daughter and mother within a month during the pandemic.
An inspirational Leeds woman is fundraising for a hospital charity after the tragically losing both her baby daughter and mother within a month during the pandemic.
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She said: “When mum woke up that morning, she was in a really bad way she was gasping for breath and her oxygen level was only 50%.

"Mum was such a strong-minded woman, and I genuinely believed she would pull through.

"I never thought this would be the last time I would get to see her and hold her hand.”

Ra-ang was still fighting for her life in hospital when Hansaben passed away.

An inspirational Leeds woman is fundraising for a hospital charity after the tragically losing both her baby daughter and mother within a month during the pandemic.An inspirational Leeds woman is fundraising for a hospital charity after the tragically losing both her baby daughter and mother within a month during the pandemic.
An inspirational Leeds woman is fundraising for a hospital charity after the tragically losing both her baby daughter and mother within a month during the pandemic.
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In late November, Arti was told her daughter needed to be taken off the ventilator to see if she was strong enough to breathe on her own.

Arti and Raj’s little girl passed away on November 22 after several months on the neonatal unit.

Despite going through the heartbreak of losing her mum and daughter, Arti was determined to do something to help other families with loved ones in hospital.

Arti opened a MuchLoved page to remember her mum and daughter, raising funds for Leeds Hospitals Charity.

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Funds raised through this page will benefit Neonatal Units at Leeds Teaching Hospitals, enabling the charity to fund projects that will make a real difference to parents and babies stay in hospital.

Arti said: “I wanted to do whatever I could to make a difference and create a legacy for my mum and my little girl.

"The staff on the wards became like a family to me, and I felt so blessed to have our wonderful NHS caring for them.”

You can donate to Arti’s MuchLoved page by clicking here.

Related topics:LeedsIntensive Care Unit

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