In June 2014 we experienced the worst feeling of pain and loss we could have ever imagined. We lost a child. 

I was so excited when I unexpectedly became pregnant with my second child, but at the 12 week scan we were informed that something was wrong. I'll never forget those moments, the look on the sonographer's face, the wait for a second opinion, the feeling of having to walk back through a room full of pregnant women and the absolute confusion of what was happening and whether it was my fault. Our baby had anencephaly. I had never heard of this condition before and so I had no idea what to do for the best. All I could do was listen, hopelessly  as we were told that there was no chance at all that our baby would survive outside the womb. We made the decision to end the pregnancy, wanting to cause minimal upset to the rest of our family. A day later our beautiful baby Aubrey Dakota was born. It was too early to tell whether Aubrey was a little boy or a little girl and I often wonder what they might have been like. Sometimes I'm wracked with guilt for the decisions that I made and I often wonder whether it was the lack of folic acid in the early days that caused our baby to become ill. Ultimately, we'll never know, but what I do know is this; if I can raise awareness of the condition so that other parents in similar circumstances can feel equipped to make their own, informed, choices and know that there is support out there for them should they choose to seek it. If I can reach women of childbearing age to encourage them to take folic acid whether they're trying for a child or not, just in case there's that small chance that they could become pregnant, then I know that Aubrey's little life, was not for nothing. I am raising money for the charity shine to help them with the good work they do around supporting families who have been affected by Anencephaly and to further support their 'Go Folic' campaign. Anything you can give is so very appreciated.

Anencephaly is a neural tube defect which effects the development of the brain and skull. Often babies with anencephaly are born missing the top part of their head and for this reason, it's highly unlikely that they would survive for any length of time outside of the womb, although it is possible for pregnancies to go to full term. The defect affects around 1 in 1,000 pregnancies and causes are unknown, though it has been linked with the lack of folic acid in the early weeks of pregnancy.

Shine provides specialist support from before birth and throughout the life of anyone living with spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus, as well as to parents, families, carers and professional care staff. Shine enables people to get the best out of life.Everything we do is made possible by our generous supporters. Your fundraising efforts help individuals and families in your local communities across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Every donation has the potential for profound impact.THANK YOU for supporting Shine!