Grieving mum’s fundraiser in memory of daughter raises £8,000

A mum’s fundraiser in memory of her late daughter has raised more than £8,000 for the charity that helped her through the ordeal. Lois Zapasnik, from Rugby, lost her three-year-old daughter Elsa to a rare genetic disease last summer.

She has since become a trustee for Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice in Coventry, which has proved an invaluable support to Lois and her family. And she organized a summer celebration of games, arts and entertainment to raise funds for the charity as thanks. Lois, who is a solicitor at Blythe Liggins in Leamington Spa, said: “Zoe’s Place provided invaluable support to Elsa and our family when we needed it most and I will be forever grateful.

“In return, I hope to help Zoe’s Place in any way I can. The Spring Festival was a huge success and my heartfelt thanks go to everyone who made it possible and the many people who came along and supported it while having fun at the same time. More was collected than I expected and I hope to organize another one in the future”.

READ MORE: Test your knowledge of the UK in the citizenship test that many struggle with

READ MORE: The SATS questions for 10-year-olds you might not be able to get right

Highlights at the celebration included a hook a duck, a tin alley, face painting, a Shetland pony, performances from SCDC Dance School, from Rugby, and JNB cheerleaders, from Stratford. There was also an appearance by Princess Elsa from Frozen.

Lois’ daughter Elsa had a genetic mutation that caused profound disabilities, but she fought bravely throughout her short life. “Elsa was an incredible little girl and we will always be proud of our little fighter,” Lois said.

“When we needed support, Zoe’s Place provided in so many ways, such as caring for Elsa for overnight respite, which allowed us to catch up on some much needed sleep. Also had a great time at Zoe’s Place, the team became part of our family and treated Elsa like one of their own. I will continue to help raise funds and profile Zoe’s Place so that more families like ours can benefit from their incredible work and carry on the legacy Elsa has created.”

For more information about Zoe’s Place, which cares for babies and young children with life-limiting, life-threatening or complex conditions, visit www.zoes-place.org.uk.

Get daily headlines and breaking news delivered to you by email – it’s FREE