Gemma Brady

I’m a mum to three girls, my firstborn Tilly was born with a diaphragmatic hernia and died of an infection at twenty five days old. 

Losing a child for me was a such a lonely place to be, everyone’s life was able to move on but mine couldn’t and all I wanted was to talk about Tilly, she wasn’t my guilty secret she was my daughter and I was her mummy. 

I met the lovely Nicola at Held in our hearts six months after my loss by chance and had a peer support session – to hear another bereaved parent tell me they had felt what I felt made my feelings normal in my head, and we kept in contact over the years. 

When I later took voluntary redundancy, I was approached by Nicola to come onboard, the timing was right for us both, so here I am. 

Listening to parents talk about their babies with such love is one of the most special parts of my work, pure and raw but love at its best. 

I am a Peer Supporter as well as doing a volunteer co-ordinator role.