When I lost my son, Thomas, in 2007 I felt very alone and unsupported. SANDS gave me that support and a safe place to talk, moan, cry etc. without judgment.

I soon discovered I was not alone in my journey of grief. I did not know the other people who shared their experiences but felt connected through their empathy.

Thomas would have been 18 in April (2025) and that seems an ideal milestone to do something special. I will be raising money for what I feel is a worthwhile cause and to give something back. To try to help those just starting out on this journey of loss.

Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, operates across the UK: supporting anyone affected by the death of a baby; working in partnership with health professionals to ensure that bereaved parents and families receive the best possible care; and promoting improvements in practice and funding research that could help to reduce the loss of babies’ lives.