Here we go again!!!! Begging for your support for the fourth year in a row!! Thank you for visiting our page, especially if you are one of the incredible people who has previously supported us, with your kindness and generosity we have raised over £4000 (not including the sponsorship currently on this Just Giving page) for Tommy’s The Baby charity over the past 2 years and your money has aided them with their essential research,  but, we still want to raise more if we possibly can.

I was supposed to have participated in the event last year but sadly due to Covid it was cancelled. This year Andy and myself have decided to embark on the marathon together to mark Millie’s 5 year anniversary, we have also decided that  this will be the last time that we publicly ask for sponsorship for the event and that the time has come for us to continue our fundraising and support of Tommy’s Baby on a quieter and more private level. Rather fittingly the event this year is being held on 1st August- the day before Millie’s anniversary! I’m sure that you are very au fait with our reasons for supporting this wonderful charity but if not here’s our story......

Our daughter Millie Olivia Cotton was tragically stillborn on 2nd August 2016. In the hope of us realising our dream of having a family we were treated by the wonderful staff at Tommy’s Baby clinic in St Mary’s hospital, Paddington and our beautiful rainbow baby  Francesca was born in  October 2018. 

Tommy’s baby charity have rainbow clinics based across the country (all of which are only viable due to public fundraising) and we were lucky enough to be under the care of the clinic at St Mary’s hospital in London. We decided to ask for the clinics help due to Millie’s post-mortem being inconclusive, this is sadly often the case and leaves parents bewildered as to how a perfectly healthy baby with no genetic or chromosomal defects can pass away with no explanation. With the care of the clinic I was diagnosed with a blood clotting disorder which we were told would have effected the placenta function and ultimately been the reason that Millie sadly passed away. 

The clinic put a plan into place for us and as soon as we discovered we were expecting a second baby the plan was put into motion. We were closely monitored by St Mary’s during the early weeks of pregnancy and provided with vital medication, they also carried out numerous scans and provided us with knowledge and lifesaving care for our precious bundle.

After 2 years of unexplainable heartache we were blessed with the arrival of Millie’s sister- Francesca Rita Jean Cotton on the 15th October 2018. Without the expertise and care we have received from Tommy’s I honestly do not think this would have been possible, there is no way to put into words how grateful we are for their help. If it wasn’t for the generosity of people like you this charity would not exist and bereaved parents would not have the opportunity to reach for their dream supported by these medical professionals

Miraculously since then then we have been extremely fortunate and blessed and in January this year we welcomed a second little baby into our family, a beautiful little boy whom we have named Teddy. His pregnancy was again aided by the Tommy’s baby clinic at St Mary’s hospital and again they provided us with essential early pregnancy care, medication and scans. So now we feel we owe them even more if that’s possible!!!

We very much appreciate how tough things are financially for many people at the moment due to Covid and the atrocities it has brought upon us, but, if you could spare any amount of money and would be kind enough to sponsor us we would be so, so, so extremely grateful. Tommy’s Baby do not receive any Government funding like many other incredible charities and they can only continue their vital work through money raised by selfless, kind donations from people like you and I .

 We vowed to raise awareness in Millie’s name and we are determined to keep doing so- for her and for all the other precious little souls whose parents didn’t get to keep them. The smallest amount of money can make such a tremendous difference to this amazing charity and we would honestly appreciate anything you can spare.

All our love Tracy, Andy, Millie, Francesca & Teddy xx