Grace Dingle

Grace Dingle is the daughter of Chas Dingle and Paddy Kirk.

Chas discovered she was pregnant in February 2018 after forgetting to get her contraceptive injection. Initially, Chas intended to have an abortion but couldn't go through with it so she and Paddy continued with the pregnancy and soon nicknamed their baby "Margarita".

Chas attended her twenty-week scan alone due to a mix-up with the dates. At the scan, Chas was delighted to learn she was having a little girl but her joy soon turned to fear when the sonographer noticed something concerning on the scan. Consultant Dr Hamley took a look at the ultrasound and diagnosed Chas' unborn daughter with Bilateral Renal Agenesis - when both kidneys and bladder fail to develop. Dr Hamley sympathetically explained to Chas that if the diagnosis was confirmed, her unborn daughter would not survive. Chas kept the devastating diagnosis to herself.

Believing everything was fine, Paddy started decorating the nursery whilst Chas' mum Faith arranged a baby shower. During the baby shower, Paddy's best friend, Marlon Dingle, found Chas crying in the nursery clinging to a baby blanket that once belonged to Paddy. Marlon sent Paddy up to see Chas and through her tears, Chas confessed to Paddy that their baby girl wasn't going to survive.

Chas and Paddy sought a second opinion but Dr Todd confirmed the diagnosis of Bilateral Renal Agenesis. Paddy believed they should consider terminating the pregnancy as the baby would only life for a few hours after birth at most but Chas refused to give up hope of a miracle. Chas began to accept having a termination may be for the best, but when she felt her unborn daughter kick, she realised she couldn't go through with it.

Chas and Paddy began making preparations for their daughter's birth and asked Marlon and Liv Flaherty to be the baby's Godparents. They also agreed to donate their daughter's organs and decided to name her "Grace".