Asiya Parekh has raised thousands of pounds to create a parent retreat room – giving families space to gather their thoughts and speak privately to clinicians in an adult-only setting
12:20, 05 Apr 2026Updated 12:20, 05 Apr 2026
Asiya Parekh pictured with her son, Yahya.(Image: Beth Walsh)
Mum Asiya Parekh whose son died due to complications with his heart has raised thousands of pounds to create a new space at Leicester Royal Infirmary to provide some comfort to families ‘facing the unimaginable’.
Ms Parekh was told that her son, Yahya, had 14 different complications with his heart following his birth in 2018.
Doctors told Ms Parekh and her partner, Imran Rawat, that Yahya was expected to live for up to two months.
But the ‘miracle baby’ went on to live for two years before he died in his mother’s arms on May 12, 2020.
His final days were spent on Ward 12 at Leicester Royal Infirmary. He was scheduled to undergo open-heart surgery but his health declined.
Blood tests suggested that Yahya had an infection or inflammation. Antibiotics were prescribed however his condition worsened.
Surgery was no longer an option, and other potential routes would have left him at risk of brain damage or other complications.
He remained on Ward 12, a busy children’s high dependency unit and respiratory ward, where he was given painkillers and sedation to comfort him.
Three weeks before Yahya’s death, Ms Parekh’s father died after suffering a heart attack.
In memory of her son and father, Ms Parekh raised more than £10,000 – funds which have been used to create a ‘lasting legacy’ for years to come.
The room is a calming retreat for parents and families. (Image: University Hospitals Of Leicester NHS Trust)
The money was used to transform a storeroom on the ward, which cares for children with complex health needs, into a parent retreat room to help support families.
Ms Parekh said: “This unit is where my two-year-old son Yahya spent his final days in 2020.
“I know first-hand how difficult it is for parents to leave their child’s bedside, even for a moment.
“We spent some 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.
“I hope it offers comfort, dignity, and a small sense of peace to families like mine who are facing the unimaginable.
“Three weeks before my son’s passing, I also lost my dad.
“I hope that this room becomes a lasting legacy for them both, to celebrate their incredible lives.”
Before this room was created, there was no place for parents and carers to stay other than the child’s bedside.
The new space offers a calm, quiet, adult-only environment where people can gather their thoughts in private and breathe.
Ms Parekh fundraising covered the majority of the £12,388.88 refurbishment cost, with the Leicester Hospitals Charity supporting the remainder.
Asiya Parekh, middle left, and partner Imran Rawat, middle right, attend the official opening of the parent retreat room on Tuesday, March 31.(Image: University Hospitals Of Leicester NHS Trust)
Head of Charity Sunita Patel said: “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 of this room is made even more special by the fact that Asiya is a dear colleague and valued member of our charity fundraising team at UHL.
“She has privately fundraised for this project over the last few years, and we are very proud of her and grateful for her support.”
Bringing this room to life has also been a long-term priority for the Ward 12 shared decision-making council – a group of colleagues who work on the ward and come together to make local improvements for patients and colleagues.
The project was five years in the making, and the shared decision-making council worked closely with Asiya throughout the process.
The parent retreat room officially opened on Tuesday, March 31.
