Any of you that know me, will know that I am not a runner. I watch sport - not play, and my idea of heavy lifting is picking up our cats. However, sometimes in your life, you get taken on unexpected journeys that change your outlook on life, and this year I had one.

In January of this year myself and my husband found out we were expecting our first child, due to be born in October. Unfortunately, at our first scan, we were told that our baby had not survived the first few weeks and that I was in the early stages of miscarriage. Our experience was not an easy one - losing a child never will be, however it was made all the worse when our local hospital were unable to provide any guidance leaflets because "they didn't have any about".

Miscarriage happens to 1 in 4 pregnancies; a shockingly high statistic for something that is so rarely talked about. Chances are, you know many women who have been through this, but many stay silent out of pain, fear and, sadly, sometimes shame.

The irony is, couples and families who suffer miscarriage need the help of their loved ones more than ever, and must be provided with the right information and support to help them cope with the loss as best as possible. Thankfully, we were guided to The Miscarriage Association website for help and support during our miscarriage, and it made a massive difference, helping answer questions when no one else could, and offering support from people who understood what we were going through. 

I want to help raise, not just money, but awareness of this amazing charity and hope that together, we can all help offer better support to families who experience the loss of a child during pregnancy. There is no shame in being one of the 1 in 4.

I will be taking part in the Hogwarts Running Club Marathon throughout the 5 weekends of July, completing the last 5 mile stage on Harry Potter's birthday! This organisation is also supporting 4 wonderful animal charities, and was an opportunity I couldn't resist whilst fundraising for my own.

Finally, if you would like more information on this amazing group, please visit them here to read their mission statement: www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk/about-us/the-charity/mission-statement/