A bereaved mother from Truro has published an illustrated book about grief in memory of her daughter, Maisie.
Hannah Chapman lost her daughter, Maisie, to Mitochondrial disease in 2018 when she was just six months old.
Eager to turn her loss into a positive, she is now self-publishing an illustrated book about her grief called Yellow Day, hoping that it will help others going through similar bereavements. Book sales will also raise vital funds for the Lily Foundation, a charity committed to supporting families affected by Mitochondrial disease.
Hannah said: “We have now raised almost £23k with help from friends and family. Turning your loss into physical action has really helped us.”
Hannah grew up wanting to write and illustrate books, completing an MA in Authorial Illustration at Falmouth University. But a lack of confidence, and time constraints, put her dreams on the back burner. After her daughter Maisie passed away, she vowed to do all those things she always put off, so less than two years on, she is self-publishing the book ‘Yellow Day’.
She added: “After Maisie passed away, I promised to her to make the most of the life that I was lucky to be given. So much of what I now do, I do for Maisie because she never had the opportunity. One of those things was to publish this book. It is scary putting your work out there, as it is very personal and emotional, and you don’t know how it will be received – but Maisie gives me the courage, each and every day.”
Mitochondrial disease is a type of genetic metabolic disorder where energy isn’t able to be processed properly. Although rarely heard about, it is estimated that one in every 4,000 people has mitochondrial disease.
A proportion of all sales of Yellow Day will be donated to the Lily Foundation, which is committed to finding a cure for Mitochondrial disease.
Yellow Day is currently available to pre-order on the Amazing Maisie website for a pre-sale price of £20 (RRP £25.00).
