Hollie Waters

My story and my journey

I have always supported the incredible work supporting families through the unimaginable heartbreak of baby loss, raising awareness, and funding vital research.

I always stood on the sidelines, cheering, donating, and hoping that the work they do would remain something I only ever supported from afar.

Tragically, life has a way of changing your world in an instant. Now, I am no longer just a supporter. I am one of the statistics.

The Day Our World Stopped.

It was supposed to be a routine scan, a moment of excitement to see our little one, check in on their growth, and count down the days until we could finally bring them home.

Instead, the room went completely silent.

The screen showed our poor baby, but there was no heartbeat, no movement, no future to plan for in that moment. Just a devastating, echoing void. In a single second, our hopes, dreams, and future were shattered. We walked into that clinic expecting to hear a heartbeat and walked out carrying a grief so heavy it felt impossible to breathe.

A Pain Doubled

As if that wasn't enough to bear, the heartbreak didn't stop there. In the time since, we have suffered the loss of one more baby.

To experience that grief once is a parent's worst nightmare. To face it again, so soon after, is a kind of pain I cannot adequately put into words. It leaves you feeling broken, exhausted, and wondering how much a heart can possibly take before it shatters completely.

Why I Am Running Now.

When you go through baby loss, the loneliness can be suffocating. But organizations like Sands ensure that families never have to walk through the darkest days entirely alone. They provide a lifeline when you feel like you are drowning.

This year, when the Ribbon Run came around, I knew I couldn't just sit this one out or watch from the sidelines. I am stepping up and lacing up my shoes to run.

 I am running for the baby whose heartbeat we never got to hear outside the womb.

 I am running for the second little life we held onto for such a short, precious amount of time.

 I am running to honor their memory, because even though their time here was far too brief, they existed, they were deeply loved, and they matter.

 I am running for every parent who has had to endure this agonizing club—a club no one ever wants to join.

How You Can Help

This page is dedicated to our babies. It’s a space to remember them, to talk about them openly, and to help ensure that other families receive the care and support they desperately need when the worst happens.

If you are in a position to donate, every single penny makes a difference to Sands and the families they support. But more than anything, I just ask that you read this, hold your loved ones close, and say their names.

Thank you for standing by me, for reading my story, and for supporting me as I take these steps, not just for fitness, but for healing, and for my babies.

H x