Family keeping tragic Shropshire mum-to-be's memory alive with fundraising drive
A heartbroken Shropshire family is keeping a woman’s memory alive by fundraising after she died suddenly when she was 28 weeks pregnant.
Rowena Smale had epilepsy since she was a child and last year, aged 32, she died, along with her unborn child.
Now her family, including sister Charlotte Ransley from Highley, and father Gordon Trevor from Shrewsbury, are raising money and awareness of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP).
Charlotte said that when Rowena was alive she regularly took part in fundraising challenges for Epilepsy Action and now her extended family has raised thousands of pounds following in her footsteps.
She and her father Gordon completed Highley Sprint Triathlon this year, and raised £720 for SUDEP.
Charlotte said: “It was the first triathlon that I’ve done.
“When I finished I felt exhausted but exhilarated, it’s a big achievement for me. It was quite hard work.”
Charlotte said that she received help from the SUDEP website after her sister died and she wants other people to know that the help is out there.
“Rowena was 28 weeks pregnant and she was taken to hospital and died of SUDEP in January last year. She had epilepsy since she was a child but I didn’t realise this could happen,” she added.
“She left behind her husband and a daughter.
“We want to raise awareness of SUDEP, lots of people are dying from it. We also want to let people know that the charity is there and that there is support out there.
“I got onto the website and got help from them and they’ve been really supportive.”
Rowena’s extended family has already raised about £5,000 through fundraising events and more are planned in her memory.
Charlotte explained that Rowena completed triathlons when she was younger so that is why she decided to follow her lead and complete one in memory of her.
She said: “A long time ago when my sister was very young, my sister did a few triathlons with my dad and so I wanted to do it in memory of her.
“Dad supported her in fundraising so now he supported me to help me achieve this.
“My dad and aunts and uncles and cousins did the Three Peaks Challenge last year and raised about £4,000 altogether for SANDS, it’s a real family affair.
“We will do a regular memorial challenge, my cousins are going to do a walk between Whitchurch and Llangollen. It’s on July 15 and they will be walking 25 miles in Rowena’s memory.
“Everything we do is keeping her memory alive, by fundraising and raising awareness.”
For more information, or to donate, visit sudep.org or justgiving.com/fundraising/charlotte-ransley
