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Steps For Oliver

Walk 100k in March 2026

Help Steps For Oliver raise ££1250!

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£1,124 + £255.16 GiftAid

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£1,250

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Holding Oliver: A Journey of Love, Loss, and 13 Years of Hope

Holding Oliver: A Journey of Love, Loss, and 13 Years of Hope


They say that grief is just love with no place to go. If that’s true, then the love we have for our son, Oliver, is vast enough to fill a lifetime.

Our journey to Oliver wasn't a straight line. It was a 13-year marathon marked by IVF cycles, surgeries, and the kind of quiet resilience only those who have struggled with fertility can truly understand. When we reached 26 weeks, we felt like we had finally beaten the odds. After some terrifying bleeds in December, the dust had settled. We felt lucky. We felt privileged. We were finally going to be parents.

 

The Week the World Changed

It is a cruel reality how quickly a life can change. On a Monday 10th March, a scan told us everything was okay. By Wednesday 11th March, a consultation shifted the ground beneath our feet - Oliver was measuring behind, and the word "underdeveloped" entered our vocabulary.

 

While I tried to cling to the silver lining, I could see the light dimming in my wife’s eyes. She knew. Mothers have a connection that defies logic and medical charts. On Thursday, March 13th, the specialist confirmed our worst fears: Oliver had passed away in the night.

 

March 15th, 2025

The days that followed were a blur of impossible decisions and a whirlwind of information. Two days after we said goodbye to our dreams for his future, we had to say hello to him in person. Oliver was born sleeping on March 15th, 2025.

People ask how we got through those days, the delivery, and the silence of the hospital room. To be honest? I still don’t know. There is no manual for how to birth a child you cannot bring home. You don't "get through it" with strength; you get through it because the clock keeps ticking and your heart somehow keeps beating, even when you wish it would stop.

 

Why We Share This

We are sharing Oliver’s story because 13 years of fighting for him matters. Those 26 weeks of carrying him matter. He wasn't just a "loss"; he was a son, a dream realized, and a person who changed us forever.

 

To anyone else navigating this silent club of baby loss, we see you. We are still in the blur, still wondering how we’re somehow standing — but we are standing. And so are you.



In loving memory of Oliver.

15th March 2025


https://fundraising.sands.org.uk/join/StepsForOliver

We're walking 100K in March for families facing baby loss

We’ve committed to walking 100K in March for every much-loved baby sadly not here today.

Sands ensure that everyone affected by the loss of a baby gets the support they need and deserve when facing the toughest of times. They campaign for change, provide training for midwives and healthcare professionals, and support research so that fewer babies die and so that less families experience the tragedy of losing their baby. Anything you are able to donate means so much.

Thank you.

Our Achievements

Thank you to our Sponsors

£100

Steve Collinson

£53

Ian Hutchinson

£53

Iain Brumpton

£53

David Hens

❤️

£53

Heidi Powell

What a wonderful thing you and Kirsty are doing in memory of Oliver 💌

£50

Amy Brettell

Rob, thank you for sharing Oliver’s story with such honesty and courage. Your openness will help so many others feel less alone. I’m honoured to support you, your family and those who find themselves in similar situations xx

£43

Sarah Ashley

♥️

£32

Gabrielle Orchison

£32

Jack Coleman

£27

Nikki Lidster

Sending love. Good luck on the walk xx

£27

Anonymous

£27

Caroline Hughes

£27

Anonymous

£27

Jim Greig

So sorry for your loss Rob.

£27

Paul Barker

£27

Naseer Hussain

£25

Vicky Holloway

£25

Anonymous

£25

Alex Mccormack

£25

Anne Walsh

£25

Charlotte Richards

Thank you for sharing your deeply moving story Rob, I had no idea what you were going through when you were in and out of our testing meetings last year, it just goes to show the battles we all face in private. I think its amazing that you are talking about your experience and I am sure it will bring strength and comfort to anyone facing something similar.

£25

Phil Agg

Your story is heart breaking - I can only imagine what you have been through. Fund raising for this important cause is a great way to continue to remember Oliver.

£25

Pete Warwicker

£22

Marina Kinsey

£22

Chris Wilkes

£22

Isabella Worrall

£22

Robert Peel

£22

Dawn Webster

A beautifully written memorial to Oliver. Good luck with the challenge.

£22

Becky Benge

£20

Carin Mcgibbon

£17

Anonymous

What you are doing in Oliver's memory Rob, turning unimaginable pain into something that will help others, is an extraordinary act of love.

£11

Jackie Shaw

Good luck and best wishes

£11

Karen Black

Best of luck Rob, Karen Black @ Zurich x

£11

Stuart Toates

£11

Laura Walsh

£11

Anonymous

£11

Karen Mcvicker

Thanks for sharing Oliver's story. Good luck with your journey

£11

Bryn Hurle

Good luck. Great cause.

£11

Zoe Kontou Goymer

£10

Christina Sanders

For Oliver and his Mum and Dad x

£10

Anonymous

£6

Amelia Somerset

£5

Anonymous

Our Team Members