Why 17?

A few yeas ago, some blokes from our church did a sponsored coast to coast cycle ride in aid of SANDS.

I knew nothing about this excellent charity before then, but Ray thoughtfully arranged for a work colleague with direct experience of their work to come and speak to us. Recently, another blogfriend, Debbie, has movingly shared with us her own story, of the birth – and death – of little Daisy on July 3rd. Debbie has told of the support she [and her family]  received from SANDS and their Why17?campaign. With the further sad news this week of Gary Barlow’s family, I felt it would be good to publicise the charity here. My two pregnancies were in no way ‘straightforward’ – but I thank God daily for my two healthy, adult daughters. The information below explains why I feel this campaign deserves support.

Every day in the UK 17 babies are stillborn or die shortly after birth, why?

This is a loss of 6500 babies each year in the UK alone, a shocking figure equivalent to:

• sixteen jumbo jets crashing each year
• four times the number of people who die of MRSA each year
• twice the number of people killed on our roads each year.

Sands believe this number of deaths is totally unacceptable and launched the Why 17? Campaign to raise awareness of this loss and to ask the question: 

"Why are 17 babies a day dying and what can be done to halt this national tragedy?"

The campaign will run till 2014 and aims to raise £3 million to develop and support projects that will lead to changes in practice that could save babies’ lives and fund research into the causes and prevention of stillbirths and neonatal deaths.

Find out more, and give a donation here

And please, remember Debbie, Gary and other grieving families in your prayers.