"You are all, quite simply, extraordinary"

My partner and I have walked a path over the past two years that has tested every fibre of our being. Yet at every turn, those who cared for us at the Victoria Hospital have been nothing short of exceptional. Now that we find ourselves, at last, on happier ground, we wanted to share our deepest gratitude with you all.

Our pregnancy journey has been excruciatingly difficult. We endured a missed miscarriage at twelve weeks, followed by a chemical pregnancy, and then, most devastatingly, a termination for medical reasons at twenty-two weeks. It was a period that very nearly broke us. And yet, through that darkness, the teams at Victoria Hospital shone as a rare and constant light. We both feel certain that things might have ended very differently had we not been surrounded by such compassion, understanding, and humanity. I am overjoyed to say that we now have a healthy baby girl — and we truly believe that her safe arrival owes much to the kindness, skill, and belief that so many of you showed us throughout this journey.

To Dr Russell, Pamela, Zara and Amy in the Fetal Medicine Unit — you are all, quite simply, extraordinary. We have taken up more than our fair share of your time and care, yet you never made us feel like a burden. You guided us through the worst moments of our lives with unwavering professionalism and empathy. I honestly don’t think we would have found the strength to keep going without you. Your optimism was contagious; your confidence in us, a quiet source of hope when we had little left of our own. We will remember the care you showed us throughout 2024 for the rest of our lives. If our daughter grows up to possess even a fraction of your kindness, warmth, and grace, we will count ourselves the luckiest parents alive. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.

We also wish to express our gratitude to those who cared for us during the TFMR, forty-eight hours that will remain, I imagine, the most harrowing of our lives. I am sorry that we did not manage to remember all of your names, but please know that your kindness did not go unnoticed or unappreciated. You made the unbearable somehow bearable, and we will never forget that.

However, we do wish to mention one midwife in particular: Amelia. Amelia, we dearly hope you are able to read this, because you have made an indelible mark on our lives. You were the one who truly saw us in our pain, who met our despair with extraordinary compassion. You noticed we were too exhausted to think straight and insisted - firmly but gently - that we eat some toast and drink a cup of tea, a gesture that helped more than words can convey. You recognised our fear of meeting our sleeping baby, and it was you who gave us the courage to do so. You are, without question, one of the kindest souls we have ever encountered. We can never adequately thank you for what you did for us.

I dread to think how differently things might have turned out without you. Had we not met our sleeping daughter, I suspect the weight of that regret might have followed us all our days... perhaps even stopped us from continuing to build the family we so longed for. Amelia, you changed that. You gave us peace where there could have been only sorrow. We wish there were some proper way to repay you, but please know that your kindness lives on: we welcomed a healthy baby girl in September, and we have given her Amelia as her middle name, in your honour.

Finally, we want to mention the team who looked after us during the delivery of our daughter this September. Once again, there were so many wonderful people involved that we couldn’t possibly name you all, but please know that each and every one of you left an impression on us. We would like to make special mention of Emily, who performed our emergency c-section. Emily, you were remarkable. Calm, capable, and kind. You recognised swiftly that things were not going to plan and acted with such professionalism and composure that we felt utterly safe in your care. If our daughter grows up to be anything like you, we will consider ourselves truly fortunate.

The NHS is immeasurably lucky to count all of you among its number. Thank you, from the very depths of our hearts, for everything you have done for us and for our family.