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In 2014  my wife Lynsey fell pregnant with our first child - we were so excited! Frankie made a surprise appearance in November 2014, and although a little early he was a very healthy baby boy. However, 4 days later we had to make the heartbreaking decision to end his life.... Why? What we didn't realise was that during his birth Frankie had contracted an infection called Group B Strep.

Group B Strep is a natural bacteria found in 30% of adults. It has no symptoms and is not harmful to adults. When present during birth it can be passed onto the baby causing meningitis and septicemia, and can have devastating effects ranging from permanent disability to death.

We, as with most first time parents, had absolutely no idea about GBS and unfortunately it wasn't picked up in time and treatment was left too late for Frankie. We later found out that his death could have been prevented. If Lynsey had been tested in late pregnancy, she could have been given antibiotics in labour and Frankie would have survived. Instead of bringing our baby boy home, we left with an empty car seat. Instead of planning a christening we had to plan his funeral. Nothing can prepare you for the pain of losing a child, and it is something that never goes away, but to find out his death was preventable was devastating. 

After his death we did a lot of research into GBS and we were put in touch with Group B Strep Support. The main aim of the charity is to raise awareness of this infection and the preventative measures that can be taken. The charity provides information to expectant parents, it provides support to parents who have suffered the consequences of GBS, and most importantly it works with relevant medical bodies on developing prevention strategies. In the last few years we have seen some huge steps forward but there's still lots more to do.

2020 was a year like no other where most industries were hit hard, especially the charity sector. COVID-19 stopped all major fundraising events from happening which meant GBSS lost out on huge amounts of income. Despite this, they were able to carry on with their amazing work of supporting families and continuing their tireless campaigning. 

Although the majority of fundraising was was put on hold, unfortunately, GBS was still impacting families. We are still hearing about GBS related deaths in the media, and many more happen without hitting the headlines - the problem isn't going away and we have to continue to support GBSS and fight for change.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story.