Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Some of you will already know that in September 2012 my wife and I lost our firstborn son, Connor, through neonatal death when he was six days old. It was a truly shattering experience that we will never fully recover from.

We were fortunate to be put in touch with the local representatives of the Stillbirth And Neonatal Death Charity (Sands), through a friend of a friend, and with the help of the amazing support and affinity provided by Tania and Louisa we were able to draw from our experience and start to see forward. 

We are now both active members of the recently formed committee of Guernsey Sands.

As Guernsey Sands, through our befriending service, local projects and community work, we aim to provide comfort and support, not only to recently bereaved parents who have suffered a stillbirth or neonatal death, but also continuing support and what comfort we can to those who may have suffered losses in the past.

In addition to one to one befriending we also hold monthly community meetings where people affected by the death of a baby have the opportunity to meet others, who may have had similar experiences, in a relaxed and informal environment.

We soon hope to be able to provide the opportunity for subsidised memorials, in the local Sands memorial garden, for babies lost Peri-nataly or Neo-nataly, either recently or years in the past, so that all babies have the opportunity to be remembered and recognised in a special place that is open to all who have suffered similar losses.

We hope this will provide a place for reflection where families visit to remember their lost babies. We believe that this especially important for those people who for whatever reason are unable to have a grave to visit. 

Sands work is not just in Guernsey, there is a far bigger picture with groups right across the UK,  and also in the research field where SANDS IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN REDUCING THE NUMBER OF STILLBIRTHS AND NEO-NATAL DEATHS. 

As well as our local projects we are passionate about this lifesaving work and would dearly love, and be proud to be able, to contribute some much needed funds to a specific medical research project.  (more information on Sands funded research projects and campaigns can be found at http://uk-sands.org/research )

As part of a wider national network, Guernsey Sands benefits from being able to draw upon the support and knowledge of other groups.the national network provides training opportunities for our local committee members and the trained befrienders who lead our support programme.

Sands also provides information to and runs an accredited bereavement care training programme for health professionals which with the help of generous donations we hope to bring to Guernsey later this year.

We obviously need to raise some money for all this, so on 30th August this year, two days before Connors third birthday, I am going to do the scariest thing I could think of and jump out of a plane……. whilst its flying…..through the air, in the hope that people would like the idea of seeing me fall from a very great height enough to donate some money to us.

Please if you don't want to donate yourself, share this message around so that others can.  

Thanks for taking the time to read all this!

Rob 

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