Riding 100km for Zephyr's – In memory of Ciella Nova 🤍

On 29th Aug, I'll be cycling 100km, completing four 25km loops alongside my brother, friends and fellow riders who'll be joining throughout the day.

I'm taking on this challenge in memory of my beautiful niece, Ciella Nova.

Ciella was born sleeping just days before her due date. My brother and sister-in-law left the hospital with nothing but devastation and a memory box.

Nearly a year on they are still seeking answers. They continue to live with unimaginable heartbreak having to relive the most traumatic moments of their lives through every meeting, review and conversation. The review into Ciella's care is still ongoing, but it has already highlighted failings in the care she received that may have changed the outcome. Our family now has to live with that heartbreak.

Nearly one in every 250 babies in the UK are born sleeping each year. Around 1.3 in every 1,000 babies are born sleeping after 39 weeks of pregnancy.

To honour Ciella, I'm cycling 100km, not only to raise money, but to also start a conversation that leads to meaningful change. We all want to see fewer families experience the devastation of stillbirth, but we also need better care, safer maternity services and more compassionate support for bereaved parents.

Some of the experiences my family have had to endure during this time have been heartbreaking and deeply insensitive, adding to the overwhelming grief of losing their precious daughter.

I'm raising money for Zephyr's, a Nottingham-based charity that has been nothing short of a lifeline for my brother and sister-in-law. They provide counselling, support groups, and creative play therapy for children, helping families navigate unimaginable grief. To continue delivering these vital services, they need to raise at least £100,000 every year, and recently they had to pause new referrals for adult counselling because demand was so high.

Ciella, like so many beautiful babies, should be here. I want to honour her memory, make my beautiful niece proud of her auntie and play my part in creating change so fewer families have to experience this devastating loss.

If you're able to donate, I would be incredibly grateful. Every contribution, no matter the size, will help Zephyr's continue supporting families when they need it most. And if you're unable to donate, sharing this page would mean just as much, especially in aiding the conversation on change.

Thank you for supporting me, for supporting our darling Ciella's memory, and for helping make a difference 🤍