Campaigning Killeigh parents receive People of the Year Award
KILLEIGH husband and wife, Mark and Roisin Molloy were honoured with a People of the Year Award last Saturday night in the Citywest Hotel in Dublin for their campaign in highlighting the inadequate standards of maternity services.
In January 2012, the Molloys rushed to the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise as they expected the arrival of their baby. Unfortunately, Baby Mark got into difficulty during labour and only lived for a brief time. His time of this earth, however, was a game changer when it comes to the provision of maternity services in this country.
Initially, Baby Mark's birth was first classed as a stillbirth, however this was later changed by the determination of the Molloys. The family questioned how their healthy son died. Their fight led to over 5,000 hours of researching, corresponding and attending numerous meetings with the HSE and Department of Health.
The Molloys became aware of the extent of baby deaths in maternity units across the country and, after two years of little intervention, they made the tough decision to blow the whistle and contacted the RTÉ Investigations Unit to look into the matter.
More than 80 families are now getting reviews into their care following the programme. Since airing their story, investigations have been carried out into maternity services, a National Maternity Strategy has been put in place, and the country’s first ever Perinatal Bereavement Standards were launched. A report into the death of baby Mark has also resulted in new measures including a national patient advocacy service.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Molloy said that he and his wife felt a “huge burden of responsibility” to Baby Mark and the other babies who they had learned about during their research. “His life mattered enough to stop a death happening again to another family...We knew that we could never shout for Mark on the side of a rugby or a football pitch, but we can shout for him now. It was a common driver for both of us.”