ONE year on and the pain is still as raw as ever for the parents of little Samuel Wright today.

ONE year on and the pain is still as raw as ever for the parents of little Samuel Wright today.

Samuel died last March after developing necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), a disease which affects premature babies.

On February 20 his parents, Sarah and Colin Wright, of High View Road in Ipswich, marked what would have been his first birthday - a day they hoped would be filled with overwhelming joy, but which was instead another reminder of all they had lost.

His mother, Sarah, said: “It still feels extremely raw.

“You learn how to get on with other things and put it out of your mind but it doesn't take much at all to trigger if off and you start thinking of him again.

“Anything makes me think about him such as other people with babies, and there are so many people around that are pregnant. You want to be happy for them but you can't help thinking 'why did this happen to us?'

“I didn't think I'd feel it as much as I still do.

“If you have a problem you can try to sort it out, to do something about it. But there is nothing I can do to bring him back and to make it stop hurting.”

At 9.25am on February 20, the exact time of his birth, Mrs Wright let off helium balloons and around the country family and friends did the same to remember much-loved Samuel's short life.

Samuel died at Norfolk and Norwich Hospital on March 17 last year.

“It was such a happy time when he was born,” Mrs Wright said.

“I wanted to be happy again to remember it. He was loved very much.

“The day he died will be very hard and sad, I don't know how I'll cope.

“It's affected everyone. Even a year on it is not just me and Colin that are upset. Recently my dad found some things of Sam's and got really upset.

“It was comforting and wonderful that so many people wanted to mark his birthday.”

After Samuel's death the couple spent many hours trying to investigate why he died and if he could have been saved. Their concerns about the care he received at Ipswich Hospital are currently being investigated by the Healthcare Commission.

Sarah Wright would like to offer her support to other parents who have lost babies. If you would like to contact her e-mail swright.virgin@google.com.

Have you lost a baby and struggled to cope? Have you got a message of support for the Wrights? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.

February 20, 2007 - Samuel Robert Wright was born 12 weeks premature weighing two pounds and 14 ounces at Ipswich Hospital and was transferred to intensive care at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.

February 25, 2007 - Samuel was taken off life support machines, but remained in an incubator.

March 1, 2007 - Samuel moved from intensive care, but remained in an incubator and was fed through a tube.

March 13, 2007 - Samuel was transported back, remaining in an incubator, to a transitional care ward at Ipswich Hospital where he was put in a cot.

March 14, 2007 - Samuel's parents became concerned after his health appeared to deteriorate.

March 15, 2007 - Mr and Mrs Wright were called and told Samuel had developed Necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) and that they should come to the hospital. Samuel was taken back to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.

March 16, 2007 - Samuel had a series of operations.

March 17, 2007 - Samuel died at Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.