May
We were deeply saddened to hear that Ruth, our very first counsellor, passed away a few days ago.
Ruth began as a volunteer counsellor in 1995, later becoming a valued member of staff. She supported bereaved families with compassion and dedication until her retirement in 2015.
Her work is a powerful reminder of how ahead of our time the charity has always been. At a time when the psychological impact of baby loss was not widely recognised, Ruth was providing vital counselling and working alongside the NHS to highlight the need for long-term emotional support. She was relentless in advocating for better care and greater awareness.
So passionate was Ruth about supporting parents that she wrote a paper on baby loss for the University, which was highly praised by Professor Neil McIntosh, then Head of the Department of Child Life and Health at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh.
Dorothy, who founded the charity in the 1980s, shared this news with us and reflected on the impact Ruth had on those around her:
“Not only did Ruth provide empathy, connection and love to bereaved parents, she was a great support to the organisation and staff. She always helped me see things from a different perspective, and nothing ever seemed quite so difficult after speaking with her. She was a wonderful support to me personally during the Mortonhall Inquiry, and of course to the parents we served.”
We know many families will have been supported by Ruth and will feel this loss deeply.
If you would like to share a memory or message of gratitude, we warmly invite you to do so on our Facebook page. Our thoughts are with Ruth’s family at this difficult time. ❤️
