I am walking the 13.1mile route of the London Landmarks Half Marathon (LLHM) for Petals.

Petals provide specialist counselling for parents (individually or as a couple) who have suffered the devastating loss of a pregnancy or post birth loss by delivering hundreds of counselling sessions every month.

I have always greatly empathised with parents experiencing the awful reality of baby loss at any stage of pregnancy or post birth.

However, it wasn't until my husband and I experienced our own loss though the medically termed 'missed miscarriage' that I truly began to understand how heartbreaking and medically complex the loss of a baby can be.

From our earliest hospital appointments I was shocked by the sometimes clinical and distant approach of medical professionals, the severe lack of readily available support for parents experiencing loss or suspected loss, and the failure to discuss pregnancy loss in a more open and supportive way.

At one point, when I said I didn't understand because my pregnant body had continued to grow, we were told my pregnancy was now a 'pregnancy of uncertainty'. A term that felt a very cold way to reference the fact our baby may have stopped growing, but they needed more time to be sure.

We were left to sit with this information until our next hospital appointment without the offer or suggestion of any support.

On the day it was confirmed our baby had stopped growing and there was no heartbeat, it was truly devastating, yet there was still so much to emotionally process with further medical support and appointments also needed.

The level of trauma parents go though cannot be underestimated.

It is an incredibly sad reality to know that my story is far from rare.

In the UK, 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage, 1 in 200 babies will be stillborn every year, over 5000 pregnancies will be terminated for medical reasons each year and 24 babies die shortly after birth every single week.

I've realised that whilst I can't change the loss of our baby, I can do something positive to help support other families going through pregnancy and post birth loss of a baby.

It's my hope no parent will have to go through such heartbreaking loss feeling isolated & alone as we had done.

I can also use my experience to raise awareness, help break the stigma and share understanding.

Everyday is still so challenging but during one of my very first appointments, when the loss of our baby was suspected but unconfirmed, I decided that whatever happened and whatever treatment was needed, it wasn't going to break me.

As soon as I found Petals and read about the incredible work they do, I knew I had to support them by participating in this year's LLHM, and I'm truly so thankful for the opportunity to do so.

The advice of my hospital consultant means I will be training very, very gently with care but if I have to walk or indeed crawl to the finish line, that's my mission.

I've found that whilst preparing for this event has been very difficult, it has also unexpectedly given me something to focus on at a time when I've felt as though I have nothing.

As each specialist counselling session costs Petals £80 it's so important to raise awareness and funds for this crucial work that helps relieve the symptoms of anxiety, depression and PTSD which are associated to the loss of a baby.

Last year Petals was able to support over 5000 families but had to turn away over 700 due to a lack of funds.

Please help me to raise as much as I can to help ensure Petals have the resources to support everyone in need.

All donations of any size are so welcome and please gift aid where possible to help raise even more for this incredible charity.

Thank you so much!