A TRURO couple who lost their newborn child are saying an emotional thank you to the hundreds of people who have supported the West Briton-backed campaign in honour of their late daughter.

The charity, Ella's Memory, which was launched six months ago, has raised more than double its original target of £5,000 and is expected to reach £12,000 by the end of July.

Emmillie Selley, from Carnon Downs, launched the appeal with her husband Martyn, after suffering the stillbirth last year.

The couple stayed in the Royal Cornwall Hospital's Daisy Suite – a specialist delivery room with en suite kitchen and bathroom facilities for parents undergoing the trauma of losing an unborn child.

While they praised the care given by nurses, they felt the room would benefit from a makeover with new equipment to help grieving parents.

Now, thanks to the West Briton's backing and the generosity of hundreds of local people who donated funds and devised their own fundraising events – including cake sales, sponsored haircuts and marathons – the couple are embarking on a major revamp of the suite, including a new entrance and bathroom facilities.

"Without the West Briton and the people across Cornwall and beyond who have shown immense support for Ella's Memory none of this would have been possible," said Martyn. "Some of the personal stories have been so touching. One lady in Bugle who had a stillborn child in 1977 held a coffee morning to help – it shows how families never forget. Things were a lot harder then because there was very little in the way of support, people were left to get on and cope with their loss."

Martyn recently completed a 200km cycle and walking challenge with eight friends, raising a mammoth £5,000.

Jenny Howell, a midwife at the Princess Alexandra maternity wing, said: "The staff at the maternity unit are delighted with the great public's support of fundraising for the Ella's Memory appeal. We would like to send our heartfelt thanks to all those who have donated and, of course, to Emmillie and Martyn, whose strength and efforts have made this possible. Quite an unexpected but amazing response."

The couple will now meet health chiefs to negotiate the installation of a window and door leading to the maternity garden of remembrance and fountain, where parents dedicate pebbles in memory of a lost infant.

Martyn said: "The hospital has agreed in principle to our plans. A separate entrance means pregnant women who enter full of hope but leave with a box will not have to walk through the maternity unit seeing other parents holding their babies or hearing heartbeats on baby monitors. It took Emmillie enormous courage to walk out of the Daisy Suite and through the ward after losing Ella – a separate entrance would make things a lot easier."

The couple's plans also include a new bath and shower, kitchen and microwave with utensils and a new sofa bed, TV and music stereo as well as a memory cabinet containing a camera, printer and free memory cards for each parent to record their own photographs of their baby to take home.