Welcome to the winter edition of the newsletter.
The Twins Trust Bereavement Support Group exists to support all parents and carers whose twins, triplets or more have died, whether during or after pregnancy. We are sorry for your loss and hope that you will find some comfort in the newsletter. If you would like your personal experience, poem or fundraising story to be included in a future edition of the newsletter please get in contact: [email protected].
Hello to you all,
I hope that you are all doing ok as we approach Christmas 2020. It has certainly been a different kind of year. Please take comfort over the Christmas period with things that help you as we are all different and find different things helpful. A few things that help me include lighting candles for my twins, decorating my tree with stars and decorations with their names on (I try to buy a new decoration each year), taking a Christmas wreath and flowers to the cemetery, a table decoration for my Christmas table that my sister in law makes me each year, hanging up little stockings for my twins and mostly knowing that I have support on the Facebook page and through the friends that I have made that have also experienced the death of their babies.
If you would like to join the Facebook group please click here.
We also have befrienders that may be helpful to chat to. Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to hear more.
We also have a new Twitter account if you would like to follow us @twinstrustbsg
Take care and please reach out if you need some support.
- Sharon
Poems
Memories of our Little One at Christmas
Does heaven have a Christmas tree
for the little girls and boys
too far away for Santa's sleigh
to reach with treats and toys?
A tree that's hung with moonbeams, stars
and real, shining angel hair
for the precious little children
who all live in heaven's care?
And you are filled with wonder
at its branches, all aglow
with the tears of those who miss you
on this earth, far down below?
For we hope and pray you're playing
with the angels, having fun
but please don't forget, we love you
- Happy Christmas, Little One
Author unknown
A Little Light
A little light to shine for you,
On this special day,
Whilst we dream that we could hold you,
And watch you laugh and play,
These dreams are but a whisper,
And they gently float above,
Somewhere, somehow they’ll find you,
And wrap you in our love.
Author unknown
This is the month…
This is the month I thought I was going to meet you
A question I did not ask as if the pendulum knew
This was the month I thought I was going to meet you
Intuitively feeling there was not one baby but two
This was the month I thought I was going to meet you
Anticipating Christmas I would be holding you
This was the month I thought I was going to meet you
Scans confirmed weeks were ahead by a few
This was the month I thought I was going to meet you
Twins were confirmed, in my heart I felt I knew
This was the month I thought I was going to meet you
I believed and so desperately hoped for this to be true
This was the month I thought I was going to meet you
Sadly, this did not happen, born before you were due
This was the month I thought I was going to meet you
I felt my body had betrayed you
This was the month I was going to meet you
We could hear your little hearts beat but could not save you
This was the month I thought I was going to hold you
Alive in my arms, not one baby but two
This was not the month I thought it was going to be
Our babies born and buried, no presents for them to open under the tree
This was not the month I believed would be filled with so much joy
Wondering what gender, would they be the same or maybe a girl and a boy!
This was the month I thought I was going to meet you
These memories are not the ones I imagined but so sadly they are true
This was the month I thought I was going to meet you
It was not, but in my heart I forever hold you.
Kate Baker-Loveday
December 2020 ©
Baby Loss Awareness Week
Baby Loss Awareness Week took place in October and was a little different than usual due to Covid-19.
We launched our new bereavement Twitter account @twinstrustbsg just before the week started, which we used together with our private Facebook group to share personal experiences and updates. These are some of the personal stories, in case you missed them:
- One dad's perspective
- Remembering Charlie and Joshua
- Jodie and Steve's story
- Returning to work after a loss
- Rebecca's story
- Poem: Our Daddy
- Keep sleeping tight...
Thank you to those of you who changed your profile photos during the week and to those of you who took part in the wave of light, with some of you sharing your photos. It was really special to see all of your messages and candle photos. There was also a debate in parliament that took place a few weeks later.
We also launched a short survey on our Facebook group to help with the update of our bereavement booklet. We had some very positive feedback as well as some ideas of how we can improve our group. Thank you to those of you who completed the survey.
Fundraising
Virtual volcano ride
We're in awe and very grateful to Andrea Lakeman-Ford, who "virtually rode up a volcano" in memory of her twin sister, Naomi, who died at birth. Andrea undertook the 5-hour Peloton bike ride on her birthday this December, replicating the 10,000ft ascent of Haleakala in Hawaii.
"I never knew Naomi and yet every day she gives me the drive and determination to live my life to its fullest and make the most of every opportunity; opportunities that she never had. She reminds me of what a privilege life is and its infinite possibilities." Andrea did the virtual ride with a group from the UK Ladies Peloton group, who "embody this ethos of grit, determination, fun and living life to its fullest."
A huge THANK YOU to Andrea for raising an amazing £860 for the Twins Trust Centre for Research and Excellence. If you'd like to support Andrea's ride, please visit her Just Giving page here.
Challenge events
Some challenge events are on hold but some are already coming back! We’d love you to register your interest, sign up to one of our challenges or choose your very own special challenge.
Be a part of one of these fantastic challenges with Twins Trust. It’ll be great adventure!
- 5.80 virtual challenge on 10 April (please save the date – more details to follow soon)
- Ben Nevis Walk by Night on 12 June (more details below)
- BSG Community Run at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park – 5K or 10K on 22 May 2021
- British 10K in London on 25 July
- 10K Walk for TTTS – virtual challenge on 8 August
- Great North Run in Newcastle on 12 September
Ben Nevis Night Climb
On 12 June 2021 a team of Twins Trust supporters will be taking on Ben Nevis, at night! The aim is to reach the summit and enjoy what will hopefully be an incredible sunrise and spectacular views. We will also be raising money for the Twins Trust Bereavement Support Group and our research projects.
We’re proud to be one of ten charities taking part in the challenge this summer. This is a fully organised trek with guides, support en route, food and transport provided from Glasgow.
Join us on this exciting adventure, we’d love to have you on our team! No minimum sponsorship required, we just ask you to raise as much money for Twins Trust as you possibly can.
BSG Community Run
Save the date for the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park 5K or 10K Run on 22 May 2021. Last year, many of us came together and joined the Olympic Park run virtually. It was a fun and emotional day and we’d love to do it again. Are you able to join us in May? You can choose your distance – 5K or10K – and join us for a picnic afterwards (government guidelines will be followed). More information will follow, but if you’d like to book your space now, follow this link: runthrough.co.uk/event/olympic-park-5k-10k-may-2021. To sign up for the virtual run, please use this link: runthrough.co.uk/event/queen-elizabeth-olympic-park-virtual-5k-10k.
Are you stuck for ideas? Let us help you!
Set yourself a goal and register now. Don’t forget your family and friends can join in too! For more details for any of the events you’ve just read about, please contact Lucie at [email protected].
Give as you shop
If you do any shopping on Amazon, please consider swapping to Amazon Smile so that a few pence each time goes to Twins Trust. Amazon Smile is operated by Amazon with the same products, prices and shopping features, but when you shop via the Amazon Smile link, the firm donates 0.5 per cent of each net purchase price to Twins Trust. It’s easy to do – just copy this link into your browser: smile.amazon.co.uk/ch/1076478-0. Why not bookmark it as a favourite?
Easy Fundraising works in similar way but includes 1000+ retailers – an easy way of supporting the charity you love.
Thank you!
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