Leicester Mum's Fundraising Creates Parent Retreat at Royal Infirmary
A dedicated parent retreat room has officially opened on the high dependency unit at Leicester Royal Infirmary, providing a vital sanctuary for families during challenging hospital stays. The new facility on Ward 12 was made possible through the extraordinary fundraising efforts of local mother Asiya Parekh, who raised over £10,000 in memory of her two-year-old son Yahya and her father.
A Personal Mission Born from Experience
Asiya's motivation stemmed from her own family's experience in 2020, when her son Yahya received care on the high dependency unit before passing away. Just three weeks earlier, she had also lost her father. Having spent considerable time at her son's bedside, Asiya understood the profound need for a private space where parents could step away momentarily from the clinical environment.
"I know first-hand how difficult it is for parents to leave their child's bedside, even for a moment," Asiya explained during the opening ceremony. "We spent time on the high dependency unit, and I know how important it is to have somewhere close by to gather your thoughts, take a breath, or receive news from a clinician in private. That's why I wanted to create this room."
Transforming Space into Sanctuary
The parent retreat represents a significant transformation of a previously unused storeroom into a purpose-designed adult-only space. The room now features:
- Comfortable seating arrangements for relaxation
- A selection of books and games for distraction
- A radio for background comfort
- Items supporting diverse cultural and religious practices
Asiya expressed her hope that "this room becomes a lasting legacy for them both, to celebrate their incredible lives" while offering "comfort, dignity, and a small sense of peace to families like mine who are facing the unimaginable."
Collaborative Effort and Lasting Impact
The £12,388.88 refurbishment project received substantial support from Leicester Hospitals Charity, which contributed the remaining funds after Asiya's fundraising covered the majority of costs. The initiative also represented a five-year priority for the Ward 12 shared decision-making council, a group of hospital staff dedicated to improving patient and colleague experiences.
Sunita Patel, head of charity at University Hospitals Leicester, commented: "We are incredibly pleased to be able to open this new parent room following the fundraising efforts of Asiya Parekh. Asiya knows first-hand the need for such a space, and the opening is made even more special by the fact that Asiya is a dear colleague and valued member of our charity fundraising team."
The council described this as the 'largest and most meaningful project' they have undertaken, working closely with Asiya to ensure the room genuinely reflected families' needs on the busy children's high dependency and respiratory ward.
A Legacy of Compassion
This new retreat room serves multiple important functions for families facing extended hospital stays, which can sometimes last months or even years. Before its creation, parents had nowhere private to retreat from the bedside environment. The space now stands as a powerful tribute to Yahya and Asiya's father while providing practical support to hundreds of families annually.
The room exemplifies how personal experience can drive meaningful change within healthcare settings, creating a lasting legacy that transforms grief into practical support for others navigating similar challenges. It represents a community effort shaped by compassion, dedication, and the understanding that even in healthcare's most demanding environments, spaces for human comfort remain essential.
