I am running 100k in September and this is my story… 

Our baby girl was stillborn on 17 May 2019, I was 41 weeks pregnant, I had no pregnancy complications and went to hospital to be induced expecting to come home with a happy healthy little girl wearing a silly white hat with a pink bow and a Peter Rabbit sleep suit.

Tragically, at some point during the early stages of labour she lost her heartbeat and died, she was delivered nearly 12 hours later. 

There were failings in the NHS care, before, during and after. I will not bore you with the details but I did want to share that to this day, I still haven’t had any contact from their patient safety team, their customer experience department, their ‘formal’ investigation or anyone who may have shown an ounce of sympathy.

So…I decided to channel my energy, grief, anger into something positive. My choice is to raise awareness, to make it comfortable for people to talk about baby loss.

In 2021, 8 babies a day were still born, 8!

60% of stillbirths are unexplained.

The figures are rising. 

This year I have decided to run 100k in September to fundraise for SANDS again because they are pushing their agenda through parliament, not only to reduce the stillbirth rates but to train the NHS in being bloody better!! 

I am super grateful that you are still reading this very long post. I would be even more grateful if you could donate but it not, please just share the amazing work that Sands do.

🥰 P.s There is also an amazing charity based in Sunderland called 4Louis who provide memory boxes (and more) to hospitals, please check them out 🥰

Ashleigh x