Sands
Richard Elam is raising money for Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity
Story
I'm of an age (and profession) where I'm surrounded by beautiful pictures of happy families with their new born son or daughter, and that unbridled joy is most definitely contagious, but I ask you just for a few seconds to imagine that wasn't possible.
Sadly, as we are very aware in my family, the death of a baby before, during or shortly after birth is still not a rare occurrence in the UK. Each day dozens of families are left to cope with the loss of their child without dedicated bereavement rooms and nowhere private to spend time with their baby before they have to say goodbye. Gaps in training for health professionals mean parents whose happiness has been shattered are left without counselling or even a sensitive explanation about why their baby died.
Sands, as well as funding research to better understand what causes these deaths, also provide free support to anyone who is affected by the death of a baby. They are also engaged in training thousands of midwives, doctors and nurses so that they can provide the care and support parents desperately need when their baby has died.
By donating you will be guaranteeing that I pound the streets of South Tyneside and the City of York, but far more importantly you will help Sands continue to support parents, train professionals and save babies' lives today and tomorrow.
Thank you so very much for taking time to read this. It means the world.