Karen’s story – volunteering for the M.A.’s support services
For links to our support service, and information about volunteering for the Miscarriage Association, please have a look at the end of Karen's story.
I never wanted to see or hear another woman go through pregnancy loss alone.
I was admitted to hospital for a gynae problem in 1992 and there was a lady on the ward with the curtains round her bed and I could hear her crying. She then opened the curtains and left. I recognised the ‘shut curtains and crying’, as this was me 5 years before. I asked the nurse if the lady had lost a baby and she nodded. I said I wished I had known as I would have sat and talked to her.
The nurse asked me to please do something about it as there was no support out there for women losing babies. There was no support at all when I lost my baby either. So I made it my mission to help others. I never wanted to see or hear another woman go through pregnancy loss alone.
I discovered there was in fact an M.A. support group near me, so I contacted the organiser and joined. Since then I have had several roles within the M.A..
I was a trustee from 2010 for 3 years and I really enjoyed that, being able to see how the M.A. works. And I am now a support group leader, as the local group was handed over to me about 15 years ago. We have a really good, supportive group.
I am a mentor too, supporting all the M.A.’s support groups. I contact the support group leaders twice a year to check everything is ok with them, and ask if they need help with anything to do with the group. I also do the telephone interviews for new support group leaders and telephone contacts. I help new group leaders to chose a venue and with ways of advertising and starting up their group.
I am also a telephone contact for the out of hours calls to the M.A. helpline. Since lockdown I have had more calls than I usually get, in fact it was hardly used before. Now I get calls from ladies who are worried about bleeding and too scared to go to the hospital because of COVID-19. Also, ladies wanting to try again but too scared to, again because of the virus.
Well that’s about it really! I love my volunteering roles as I love to help people and support them.