Where your money goes
Tommy’s knows how harrowing losing a baby is, but sadly in the UK 1 in 4 parents lose a baby during pregnancy or birth.
Despite this, research into pregnancy complications has traditionally received little funding in the UK. That’s why Tommy’s conducts internationally renowned research and provides pregnancy health information free of charge - so more babies can be born healthy.Your donations and support are vital for Tommy’s work.
Father and SonTommy’s research
Tommy’s funds three research centres in the UK; St Thomas’ in London, St Mary’s in Manchester and the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh (which opened in 2008).
Tommy’s research findings bring tangible pregnancy health benefits, which means that in the future fewer families will have to endure the terrible heartache of losing a baby.
For example, Tommy’s Professor, Andrew Shennan at St Thomas’ sees about 20 women each week from across the UK who have had multiple pregnancy losses. Using the research that Tommy’s has conducted into the function of the placenta and uterus, 90% of those women go on to have a healthy baby.
Free information
Tommy’s pregnancy information service provides the full facts, open and honest advice, useful contacts, and plenty of tips on how to make the most of pregnancy at every stage.
Tommy’s provides information from qualified midwives via the phone, email, the web and through a free publications service. All this information is supported by research, so you know you’re getting the up-to-date and accurate support.
Your stories – Michelle & Darren Pepper, Melton Mobray
"When I got pregnant last year my daughter told me that it had better be a girl. She wanted a sister. The pregnancy was normal until one day, 36 weeks later, on Valentine’s day, I stopped feeling my baby move.
I gave birth by caesarean section to a little sister, Jasmine, born asleep, a week later. We had around four hours to spend with Jasmine as a family and then went home to plan the burial. The doctors couldn’t tell me why it had happened and this made it even more difficult and painful for us.
A while later I was watching Gaby Roslin on The Wright Stuff. She was talking about Tommy’s, which inspired me to think about ways of raising money. I went into the ‘Fundraising ideas’ section of the Tommy’s website, spotted ‘coffee morning’ and went for that. For the venue, we approached the local church, who, after hearing our story, let us have it free of charge. A friend who rents out bouncy castles told us we could have one free of charge.
Then we started writing to companies for donations. We brought some images and the logo that Tommy’s gave us to a local printer. They designed and printed 500 leaflets, which we put in shop windows and on notice boards. We also went to the local press who ran an article on our story. I enlisted all my friends. They brought stuff to raffle and did loads of baking. We had cream teas, coffee, orange squash, a cake stall, a teddy stall and a raffle stall. We had a tombola - two actually - one for adults and one for children, so that children wouldn’t win bottles of wine!
I’d say we had around 300 people at the event. We conned most of our family and friends into helping out and when they arrived, thinking it was going to be a nice quiet afternoon, they looked at each other and went ‘Oh my god!’ There was a tremendous amount of goodwill towards the cause. It’s amazing how many people have been through a similar situation. We were aiming to raise around £300 but when we counted the takings at the end of the day we were looking at more than £800! We’re now planning to make it a yearly event. If Tommy’s research stops one family having to go through what we had to, all our effort will have been worth it."
Your stories – Beth Gibson, West Sussex
Beth gave birth to baby Logan on the 1st October 2008 - a very healthy 61b 15oz (3.14kg), born by caesarean section at 39 weeks and 3 days. Reading this, Beth’s pregnancy appears to be a normal one, but for Beth and her husband Iain, it was a very different story.
Beth had previously undergone several surgical procedures for abnormal cervical cells, including a cone biopsy, which meant that her cervix had been shortened and she had developed cervical stenosis and would therefore have difficulty getting pregnant.
Because of Beth’s history and the fact that she had already experienced a miscarriage at just 6.5 weeks into her first pregnancy the previous year, Beth was referred to Tommy’s Professor Andrew Shennan; Consultant Obstetrician at Guy’s&St Thomas’ Hospital in London early on in her pregnancy, so she could be carefully monitored. Beth’s cervix was shortening only 14.5 weeks into her pregnancy and so at 23.5 weeks gestation Beth had a FullTerm(tm) Fetal Fibronectin Test* (sometimes referred to as the fFN Test), which proved to be negative (normal). If fetal fibronectin is detected, this indicates a higher risk of imminent birth. This invaluable information helped Professor Shennan manage Beth’s pregnancy effectively. Because the baby was in the breech position and it was unsure how Beth’s cervix would react during labour, Beth had a caesarean section. Beth and Iain’s ‘miracle’ baby was born a healthy weight at full term with no other undue complications.
Beth says, "Iain and I were absolutely elated when I fell pregnant, but understandably anxious at the possibility of enduring a late miscarriage or early labour because of my past medical history. It was reassuring not just for us, but our families too, having the FullTerm fFN test through Andrew Shennan which helped us worry less and enjoy the pregnancy more."
Total raised this year:
£0,259,788
Pregnancy questions
For the most up–to–date and accurate pregnancy information:
- Visit www.tommys.org
- Contact a Tommy’s midwife on 0870 777 30 60 (Monday–Friday 9am to 5pm)
- Email info@tommys.org
Fundraising
Are you interested in organising an event or completing a challenge in aid of Tommy’s?
