Canberra Couple honours baby Hugo’s memory through March fundraiser
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In November 2024, Molly and Jake Boulding had their lives turned upside down when they lost their unborn son Hugo, after Molly was injured in a car accident.
Devastation doesn’t even describe the emotions Molly and Jake felt – and though they never had the chance to bring him back home to meet his big sister Hadley, Hugo continues to make a profound impact on the family.
“At 33 weeks, I was in a car crash. As a result, I had a caesarean, and Hugo didn’t make it. He was Hadley’s little brother, and one of the hardest parts of grieving him are the memories and plans we had already included him in as part of our family,” says Molly.
“Hugo was a perfect, beautiful baby and he was so wanted and is so missed. The intense grief we have been experiencing reflects the intense love we have for him. It has been devastating losing him, and we are trying to wrap our heads around the idea of our family without him physically with us.”
Now, after months of grieving the loss of their baby boy, the couple is holding a fundraiser in his honour, keeping his memory alive while also showing other families that they are not alone.
Drawing on the Canberra community for support, Jake – one of the owners of Solomons Flooring in Belconnen – and Molly will be donating 10 per cent of all in-store sales from the business to Red Nose and Cancer Council ACT throughout the month of March.
They will also be at The ShowRoom Canberra Home & Lifestyle Show at EPIC on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 March to talk to anyone who might be going through something similar. The hope for the couple is that Hugo’s name is talked about in a way that has a positive impact on others.
“We also hope that it allows others to connect and know that they are not alone. Grief is incredibly complex, and this gives a positive reflection of the baby we knew and love,” says Jake.
“As difficult as this is, hearing Hugo’s name talked about keeps him around.”
Donating the money to Red Nose and Cancer Council ACT was an easy choice. Directed to Red Nose after the loss of Hugo to use their resources and with personal connections to the Cancer Council, they want to give back to both as a thank you for the important work they do.
Jake and Molly say that this will be an inaugural fundraiser through Solomons Belconnen, and they plan to do this each year – continuing to raise funds for Red Nose, and another charity which has had significant meaning or impact for them in the past year.
“If Hugo’s life has taught us any lessons, it’s to treasure the people around you, and value the precious time we have with each other,” says Molly.
“It has helped give us a new connection to Hugo, and to do something in his honour recognises the importance of his life. Coming up to the four-month mark, we realised that grief was not something that would just go away – it sits with you. We wanted to put our energy into something for Hugo that could have a positive impact on our community,” adds Jake.
Going from expecting a newborn to losing their baby boy, Molly and Jake never imagined this would be their new normal. But as they look to the future and hope to make a positive difference in the lives of others, they have one message for any other parents grieving the loss of a child: “You are not alone.”
“This can feel like the most devastating experience, and it is. The first few months are unimaginable, but life does grow around the grief,” says Molly.
“Try to lean on family and friends as much as you can. Utilise the support and resources from organisations such as Red Nose – knowing that others have been through similar experiences can be helpful, when everything is heavy.”
Keep an eye out for Molly and Jake at The ShowRoom Canberra Home & Lifestyle Show this weekend or visit Solomons Flooring in Belconnen to make a donation.
