As many of you know, on the 25th of January 2011, we finally got to meet and cuddle our beautiful little girl, Amber. We had discovered two days earlier that she had died inside her mummy's tummy at 39 weeks.

As we approach her 1st birthday, neither the pain nor the sadness of losing her have lessened, but the emotions slowly feel less raw, and we are getting better at living with them.

To celebrate Ambers 1st birthday, we are hoping not just to raise more money for research, but to get people talking about stillbirth all over again. If we continue to fail to break the silence surrounding stillbirth, it will never receive the funding necessary to make a breakthrough such as was made for SIDS.

If Amber had stayed with us, I'm sure reading would already be part of our family routine, just as it is for her cousins, and many of her friends, and just as it was for me. We were only able to read once to Amber, but it is a memory that I know we will both treasure forever. I can't think of a better way to celebrate her 1st Birthday than to have her friends and family think about her as they read....... So:

In the 24 hours leading up to Amber's birthday, I intend to find around 70 volunteers to read (ideally children books - but you can read a book of your choice if it means you taking part!) for a 20 minute slot, from 17:04 on the 24th January, to 17:04 on the 25th January.

Please do sponsor this event, but also consider signing up to read. You can read from anywhere - in bed, on your commute, at the gym - please email me, or leave me a message with your donation if you're interested, and I'll send you more details.

Thanks so much in advance for your support - it means so very much.

Helen

xxxxxx

PS - Take a look at Heather Martingells page too! Heather, is doing a "marathon swap" with Duncan. Heather will run Seville Marathon, and Duncan will run Boston - www.justgiving.com/Heather-Martingell5

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