Our Volunteers

Hi, I’m David, and I’m a bereaved dad and volunteer peer supporter in Edinburgh.

I lost my first child, Sam, in 2022, when he arrived early at 28 weeks. He lived for 18 hours, spent in the NICU,  but had suffered some complications and was just too little to overcome them, even with all the help the hospital could offer.

The days, weeks, and months that followed were difficult and painful beyond words. Even though I had a strong network of friends and family around me, I felt this great chasm had opened up separating me from everyone else, because nobody could truly understand this trauma and heartbreak without having been through it themselves. And this is where Held in Our Hearts came into the picture.

The Peer Supporter service became a lifeline. I was carrying so many tangled feelings that I could barely make sense of them myself, never mind trying to explain them to well-meaning friends and family. With Gemma, I didn’t need to explain; she already knew. For the first time in months, I felt genuinely understood by someone other than my partner, and it was such a huge relief.

I’m now 3 years on from my loss, and I have a happy, healthy little toddler. I’m grateful every day for her, even though pregnancy and parenting, after loss, come with their own set of woes, troubles, and difficulties. Regardless, I’m now in a strong enough position with my grief that I’m ready to give something back to this wonderful charity. I believe strongly that nobody should have to go through baby loss feeling isolated or misunderstood. Hopefully, I can offer that same support to other bereaved parents that I found so critical.