"A woman who loses her husband is called a widow.
A man who loses his wife is called a widower.
A child who loses its parents is called an orphan.
There is no word to describe a parent who loses a child, for there is no word to describe the pain."

Although we have reached our target, we have decided to keep the page open until George's 1st Birthday.  Thank you all so much for supporting us, your money will help many other families in their struggle to cope with the loss of a baby.

The 28th May 2009, his due date, our beautiful baby boy, George Patrick Wood was born.  Weighing 7lbs10ozs and 20ins long, he should have been a healthy baby, instead he was born sleeping and we will never to get hold our angel again.  For us our world has stopped, but life goes on around us which is extremely tough, so we would like to thank all of you who are supporting us as we try to adjust to living as parents, without our child to hold. As many of you will know, I had requested induction several days prior as I felt that something was wrong due to the slowing of his movements.  I was sent home and told I was being a paranoid first time mum.  Unfortunately, I was right, and so I am trying to raise awareness of the warning signs of stillbirth and how medical staff should always listen to the mother's instinct.  If they had listened to me, George would be here now, which is a bitter pill to swallow.  I am running in several events to raise awareness of Stillbirth and Neonatal Death, but also to raise money for Sands. 

Please don't judge a mother
As she struggles with her grief
Time is NO great healer
Whatever you believe

Please don't judge a mother
As the tears fall from her eyes
You have your child here
But to hers, she said goodbye

Please don't judge a mother
When she feels the need to say
How much she loves her child
Each and every day

Please don't judge a mother
If she feels the need to talk
She'll never get to hold her child
Nor see her child walk

Please don't judge a mother
If she feels she cannot smile
The guilt if she feels happy
Lingers for a while

Please don't judge a mother
If she feels she cannot spend
A minute with your child
You see her pain it never ends

Please don't judge a mother
When she needs to be alone
She needs to wallow in her grief
In the privacy of her home

Please don't judge a mother
When she feels she can't join in
Pain is all she feels
Having fun feels like a sin

Please don't judge a mother
For anything at all
Just listen to her, hold her
And let her tears fall

In the UK, 17 families suffer this tragic and unbearble loss everyday, 17 babies are robbed of their lives everyday, and yet so many of these lives can be saved by better maternity care.  The loss of a loved one is always difficult, but the pain and despair of losing a baby can not be expressed.  There are no words to describe the desperation and sadness that every minute of every day brings to us.  SANDS is a charity that not only supports parents like us, but that campaigns for the change in maternity care that is so desperately needed in this country.  SANDS also funds research into why so many babies are lost everyday as in over 50% of stillbirths, a cause is never found.  What makes George's death even harder to deal with is that fact that we were failed by the hospital and that the "professionals" made mistakes which cost George his life.

 

Baby George lives on in our hearts and in our memories, but we have the chance to help other babies live as they should, in their parents arms.  So I am running in various events this year to raise money for SANDS and I hope that you can help this cause by sponsoring my efforts, however little your pledge, every penny helps.

                  To the world a baby - to us the world.

 

If tears could build a stairway, and memories were a lane,

We would walk right up to heaven, to bring you down again.

No farewell words were spoken, no time to say good bye,

You were gone before we knew it, and only god knows why.

Our hearts they ache in sadness, these tears will always flow,

What it meant to lose you, noone will ever know.

When we are sad and lonely, and this cruel world it feels so wrong,

We seem to hear you whisper, cheer up and carry on.

Each time we look at your pictures, you seem to smile and say,

"Don't cry, I'm only sleeping, we'll meet again someday"

 

Thank you for visiting my fundraising page.

The money that you donate will go to Surrey SANDS, our local support group.  Specifically, I have asked for the money to go towards their training project as they provide much needed training for professionals across all 7 Surrey Hospitals, and all of their work is done by volunteers and is funded by donaters like you!

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: SANDS gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

Thank you for your support.