Shannon Brant

Why I’m taking part in the Sands Starlight Walk 💜✨

I’m taking part in the Sands Starlight Walk to support Sands and the families affected by baby loss, but this is also something that is incredibly personal to me and my family.

On 28th June 2020, Martin and I lost our baby at 16 weeks of pregnancy. We call her Baby Ashall. Neither of us had ever experienced anything like this before, and it was something we never expected to happen to us.

Having to deliver our baby at 16 weeks was devastating and heartbreaking, and the experience has stayed with us ever since. 28th June is a date that will always hold a huge amount of meaning for us, and Baby Ashall is someone we think about and remember often.

We have since been incredibly lucky to have our two beautiful children, George and Freya, and we are so grateful for them. But our experience of losing a baby has continued to affect us, particularly through every pregnancy that followed. It brought anxiety and fear that we hadn't experienced before, and even now, when life feels difficult, those memories can come back very strongly.

Baby loss can also be incredibly difficult to talk about. Sometimes people don't know what to say, and over time it can feel like the rest of the world has moved on, even though the loss remains part of your life. That's one of the reasons being part of the Sands community has meant so much to us.

The Starlight Walk gives us an opportunity to remember Baby Ashall, while also standing alongside other families who have experienced the loss of a baby.

Every day, 13 babies in the UK die before, during or shortly after birth. Sands works tirelessly to support bereaved families, fund research and improve care, with the hope of creating a future where more babies survive and every family receives the compassion and support they need.

By sponsoring me, you'll be helping Sands continue this vital work, while helping us remember Baby Ashall and all the babies who are so deeply missed.

On the darkest nights, the stars shine brightest. 🌟💜

Thank you for helping keep that light shining.