In October 2025, some friends of mine experienced the unimaginable heartache of losing their baby boy ‘Otis’ at just under 22 weeks.

Otis was diagnosed with a condition called LUTO which meant he just couldn’t survive.

After the scan, Emma and her partner Joe were taken to a quiet room where they were told the heartbreaking news.

There is nothing that can take the pain away from this tragic news, however, the environment in which it is delivered, I believe, could provide a stronger sense of safety and comfort.

To have a calming and comfortable space would make a huge difference as currently at Calderdale Royal Hospital the room that is offered is located in the middle of the busy Labour Ward, with no natural day light and is too small to welcome extended family members. The room is not the welcoming, quiet or comforting space that a grieving family needs to meet their baby, make memories and start to come to terms with their loss.

Since Otis’ passing, Emma has been highly involved with the maternity bereavement appeal at CRH and has been successfully fundraising for a brand new bereavement suite.

In 2022, Emma opened her own dance school - ‘EB Dance Company’

Both of my daughters joined just as a fun hobby to do on a Saturday morning. Fast forward just over 3 years and that hobby has turned into so much more.

Not only have my girls grown in to amazing dancers, oozing confidence and character, but they have a whole new mini community of friends and positive role models around them. A safe space that they are accepted into as themselves and loved just as they are at home.

For Emma, unfortunately, the pressures of loosing Otis and having 2 full time jobs just wasn’t sustainable. Emma’s grief and healing needs to take priority. She made the very difficult and heartbreaking decision to close the doors at EB Dance Company.

Personally, being a ‘dance dad’ has enabled me to be involved in something that matters deeply to them. It’s not just about driving them to classes and competitions, it’s about showing them that I am routing for them, showing up again and again to support them in the moments that they are at their highest and lowest.

What Emma created in EB dance company shaped me as a dad and I will be forever grateful to Emma for that.

As well as the girls having made the best friends through their dancing, my wife ‘Jen’ and I have also become a part of a fantastic group of parents and teachers who without a doubt will be our friends for life.

So with that said, I would like to give something back to Emma. I would like to help to raise money for the new bereavement suite at Calderdale Royal.

I have decided to walk Coast to Coast, 192 miles in 12 days.

I will be doing this alone, carrying my own kit and camping each night (with a couple of hotels thrown in, requested by Jen so I can have a wash!)

I will be starting my adventure at St Bees, Cumbria on Tuesday the 11th of August and finishing on Saturday 22nd August at Robin Hoods Bay, Whitby.

The training has already started and I have a few trips planned in spring and early summer to test out my kit and stamina!

I plan to update on my training and progress leading up the start date.

Although I love being outdoors and I relish a challenge, I know this will be hard.

I want it to be hard. I want to push my body and my mind as far as it will go. Only then will I truly feel worthy of raising money for the many parents experiencing baby loss.

CRH needs £500,000 to create the new bereavement suite.

So far a fantastic £137,240 has been raised. My aim is to add £1000 to the pot.

So please, if you would like to help this wonderful cause, please donate! No donation is too small.

For Emma’s full story, visit her on TikTok;

Emma | life after loss.

Thank you.

Supporting families experiencing baby loss:

CHFT Charity's vision for the Maternity Bereavement Appeal is to ensure everyone affected by miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death, who is cared for by CHFT, receives the support they need, in an environment that’s right for them.

The appeal aims to raise £500,000 so that CHFT Charity can:

- Create a comfortable, home from home, self-contained suite to be used by families who sadly experience a late pregnancy loss, with a birth or neonatal death.

- Offer grieving families the support and privacy they need, creating a welcoming environment, which include natural day light, without disturbance from other hospital wards or departments.

- To create a new, beautifully furnished Counselling Room within the hospital's Early Pregnancy Unit, as a place to support families experiencing early miscarriage.