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In May 2022 Rosie would be 27 years old. She was born on 21 May 1995 right in the heart of spring. She was everything we wished for - a beautiful baby that grew to be a loving, funny, happy, special little girl. When she died suddenly aged just 9 and a half our world fell apart. At that tremendously dark time, the wonderful charity The Compassionate Friends (TCF) was a lifeline for me. Being able to ring their helpline, read their literature and attend the monthly support group for bereaved parents held in SW London (all these things provided by amazing volunteers who were bereaved parents themselves) and meet others experiencing a similar darkness and deep pain was a huge comfort. Finding understanding, empathy and to just know I was not alone with overwhelming feelings of grief, loss and anguish was incredibly helpful in finding ways to be able to cope with the loss of my beloved daughter. It didn't fix it - only to bring her back would do that - but the volunteers and other bereaved parents I met through TCF helped me in finding the ways I might be able to live alongside the loss and have a meaningful life in time. Above all they offered me hope that the pain of Rosie's loss would not always be so raw, and would soften and become gentler in time. 

Fast forward 17 years and I now work and volunteer for The Compassionate Friends. I have a passion to ensure that any bereaved parent can experience the lifeline of peer support that has been so important for me. That is why I am  fundraising for the charity on the weekend of Rosie's birthday. This year TCF are asking us to take up a 2.5 Challenge and fundraise in honour of our 250 volunteers, all of whom offer support, understanding and hope to those parents in the first months and years of the loss of a child. Without these wonderful volunteers we would just not be able to offer the support we do to any one who has experienced the death of a son or daughter, at any age, and from any cause.  

Since Rosie's death, I have also been fortunate to have the support of family and friends - and some of these fantastic friends have agreed to do the 2.5 Challenge with me! Jo, Claire and Becky, and Rosie's sister, Natalie, plan to join me in one, two or three of any of the following challenges:

* Running 25 km
* Cycling 25 km
* Swimming 2.5km

I am planning on trying to achieve the running and swimming challenges during the weekend of 21 and 22 May! 
Claire is going to try to attempt all three, Jo the running and cycling, Becky the cycling and Natalie the running. Wish us all luck!

Anything you can donate to spur us on would be hugely welcome and will make a difference to the bereaved parents and their families supported by our amazing volunteer team. Thank you so much for your support.

Rosie would laugh at me I think - as I was always such an exercise-phobe! But since we lost her I have found that running has helped me and now it is an important part of my self-care. 

Always remembering Rosie
21/05/1995 - 04/12/2004

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