A BEREAVED Worcester mum and a chaplain from the Worcestershire Royal Hospital have been nominated in the 2015 Butterfly Awards.
The awards are an annual event which focuses on recognising and celebrating organisations and individuals who work tirelessly to raise awareness of early pregnancy loss, stillbirth and neonatal death and provide much needed support services for bereaved parents.
Rev David Southall has been honoured with a nomination in the Bereavement Worker category along with Lisa Ventura, who has been short-listed in the Inspirational Mother category.
The event will be held on October 10 at the Bank House Hotel and was created by Jade Deverill, the founder of Midwifery and Nursing Online and grieving mother Mel Scott, founder of Finley’s Footprints.
Lisa’s only son, Francesco “Frankie” Enrico Ventura, was born sleeping when she was 33 weeks pregnant in November 2013, and she has also suffered six miscarriages prior to having Frankie.
Tragically she has gone on to suffer four more after Frankie’s birth but despite her heartbreak, Lisa now works tirelessly to raise as much awareness as possible of early pregnancy loss, stillbirth and neonatal death through her blog at www.frankieslegacy.co.uk
She also works on a campaign called ‘Life After Loss’, which aims to highlight that life goes on after any death or loss, no matter how hard it is to endure.
“The Butterfly Awards are so important to raise much needed awareness of early pregnancy loss, stillbirth and neonatal death,” Lisa said.
“These topics are at the forefront of many people’s minds at the moment with the current storyline in Eastenders of Shabnam and Kush losing their much wanted and loved baby to stillbirth.
“Just as they were in the soap, my husband Russell and I were full of hopes and dreams when we found out we were expecting our son Frankie, only to have them shattered into a million pieces.
“One in four women experience early pregnancy loss or stillbirth and I aim to break the silence of this and talk about our son and keep his memory alive through the campaigns I work on and blogging to raise awareness of early pregnancy loss, stillbirth and life after loss.
“I also had no hesitation in nominating Rev David Southall for a Butterfly Award, his support and compassion when we lost Frankie was incredible and if it wasn’t for him I would have been in a much darker place when I lost my son,” she added.
Rev Southall, said: “In the course of my work I meet many parents who experience early pregnancy loss, stillbirth or neonatal death.
“These couples and families are some of most inspirational people I have met in my life. I’m moved by these parents because they are facing one of the most challenging situations life can deal out,” he added.
Visit www.thebutterflyawards.com/index.php/voting/userprofile/1334 to vote for Rev Southall and www.thebutterflyawards.com/index.php/voting/userprofile/frankieslegacy2015 for Lisa.
Voting is open until midnight on Saturday, September 19, visit www.thebutterflyawards.com for more information on the awards.
