Olympic Athlete Becky Adlington fronts campaign to increase mental health support following baby loss
Olympian Becky Adlington is leading a campaign to increase mental health support for parents who have experienced pregnancy or baby loss.
The four-time Olympic medalist was supported by Petals, a specialist baby loss counselling charity, following the loss of her daughter, Harper, in 2023. She describes the counselling she received as a ‘lifeline’.
Petals, which currently provides one-to-one counselling to more than 1,500 bereaved parents a year, is forced to turn away 20 requests for support every week due to insufficient funding.
The campaign – titled The Missing 20 – aims to help the charity raise the additional £520,000 in income required to meet this need.
A new film is being released featuring Becky, who is an ambassador for Petals, in which she meets a parent who was unable to access Petals counselling following her second miscarriage.
“This is a campaign close to my heart; I have spoken openly about my personal experience of miscarriage and what a crucial role the counselling provided by Petals played in my family coming to terms with the loss of Harper,” said Becky.
“Ensuring more families have access to counselling is vital; nobody should be turned away due to insufficient funding. I hope the Missing 20 campaign by Petals, which I am proud to support, raises awareness and helps bridge the gap in the income required to meet the demand.”
Baby loss is common in the UK – it happens as many as 297 times a day. It can lead to relationships breaking down and to mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and PTSD. Petals Counselling has been specifically developed to support parents with the trauma they have experienced and to equip them with the tools and understanding to be able to move forward.
Gemma Lincoln, who features in the Missing 20 film with Becky, is a primary school teacher from Thaxted in Essex. She miscarried during a family BBQ for her birthday.
“When the first miscarriage happened, I felt sad and devastated. This time I felt angry. It didn’t feel fair,” said Gemma.
“We knew we needed support, and I know it’s sheer numbers, but it felt like a slap in the face to be told no. It’s a big step for people to reach out, and I felt like clearly we didn’t deserve it, I just had to suck it up.”
Karen Burgess is the founder of Petals, its chief executive and a professional counsellor. She started the charity in 2011 after her work on a maternity unit highlighted the need for parents to have specific support for the trauma experienced when losing a baby.
“We know that for parents to find the courage to ask for support is tough. Parents are desperate; they’re coming to us in a state of despair,” she said.
“Petals is the lifeline they are looking for – the space to talk about what has happened to them, recognise the trauma they have experienced and realise that they can still function and trust they will be ok.
“So if we can’t say yes, if we have to say no, then that rejection is another level of devastation for them. It’s contrary to what we are about; it’s so important that we can say yes.”