In 2017, my wife Laura became pregnant for the first time, but heartbreakingly, we lost the baby at eight weeks. Later that summer, she became pregnant again, and in March 2018, we were fortunate enough to bring our healthy baby boy, Luca, home.

Fast forward to 2020, and we decided to try for another child, but once again, the pregnancy ended in a first-trimester miscarriage. And then in December of 2020, we saw another positive test. But instead of celebrating, we exchanged a glance I'm sure many parents can relate to,

"I hope everything will be ok."

At the 12-week scan, everything appeared to be going well, and by 17 weeks, we had heard a strong, healthy heartbeat. Then came the 20-week scan. The “anomaly” scan… I hate that word! We entered the room and made a joke with the sonographer about the due date, August 21st, my birthday. He started scanning. Seconds passed. Then a minute. Then two. Laura squeezed my hand,

“Can you remind me of the due date?”

By then, we knew.

“I’m sorry, it’s not the news you were hoping for”

Laura shot off the bed. We looked at him again. But no, there was no heartbeat. Our baby Noa was gone. Laura immediately said,

“I have to give birth to our baby. Is this really happening to us?”

Life is very much before and after that moment. How could we tell Luca? At five months pregnant, Laura had a beautiful bump. Luca loved that bump. Every day, we talked about his new baby brother or sister. And now, in an instant, it was all gone. And we still had to face the unimaginable, labour, a funeral, and a new reality.

Noa was born on Apr 2nd, 2021. We spent a few precious hours with her, taking photos, talking to her, and telling her how loved she was, and then, when we felt ready, we said goodbye.

Since then, Laura has had two further first-trimester miscarriages, but then in December of 2022, we welcomed our beautiful baby girl, Mia, into the world.

Noa didn’t get a chance at life, so we’ll always make sure we shout about her and the positive impact she has on our lives. She pushes us to try new things, and she pushes us to talk openly and honestly about our experiences to help others. It’s heartbreaking to know parents are experiencing loss all over the world, every minute of every day. So I hope sharing Noa’s memory can let those parents know things do get easier, and there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

In 2026 I am running the London Marathon for the Miscarriage Association! Something I never dreamed I'd do before Noa was born. Since her birth I've run 2 half marathons, Laura and I have raised thousands for baby loss charities and we've pushed ourselves to do things we never thought we'd do. And in April of 2026, I'll be 26.2 miles in Noa's memory.

The Miscarriage Association is a national charity that offers support and information to anyone who is affected by miscarriage or ectopic or molar pregnancy. They work with health professionals to encourage good care; with workplaces to promote compassionate policies and with the media to raise public awareness of the facts and feelings of pregnancy loss.

The 2026 team of London Marathon runners help with all of this and more. Their fundraising helps pay for the staffed helpline and the production of high-quality information online and in print. And every time they mention the M.A. they raise awareness of how they can help.

Thank you for your support.