A thank you from our Helpline staff
Our Miles That Matter campaign aims to fund our helpline services for 100 days.
With one month to go until the end of the campaign – which coincides with the culmination of Baby Loss Awareness Week – we’re throwing the spotlight on our helpline services, which your fundraising and donations are helping to support.
Here, our helpline staff tell you more about the support they provide – and say thank you for your generosity so far.
If you would like to help us reach our target, you can make a donation here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/milesthatmatter
Hello, I’m Ann, one of the helpline support workers.
Many people would assume that the helpline is all about giving support to people on the telephone, but in these days of digital technology it has become much, much more than that.
We now offer a ‘Chat’ facility on our website, which is open from 10am-3pm, Monday to Friday, where people who may not feel comfortable talking on the phone can contact us and still get that same immediate, caring response.
Our approach to Chat is very different to that of a big company, for example. For us, it’s not all about getting through numbers as quickly as possible. We never restrict anyone on the length of time we allow them to talk about their worries or concerns and we pride ourselves on being patient and empathetic and staying with anyone who needs us for as long as they like.
We know how devastating any loss can be and we listen, we care, and we try to respond in a way we would want for ourselves and those close to us. We hope we help you too whenever you need us. Thank you for supporting Miles That Matter and helping us to continue to be there for people.
Hello, my name is Lisa and I am part of a dedicated helpline support team for the M.A.
Our role is to provide support and information via email, live chat and telephone and I’d like to talk a little about email support.
We receive around 200 support emails a month and the messages are really varied. We often get asked for information on what might happen during a pregnancy loss and how they might manage the process. We provide information and support for ectopic pregnancy and molar pregnancy, too. We also get many emails from people who want to know about trying again or are understandably worried or anxious about a new pregnancy.
Of course, we are not just here for practical information, we are here to support people emotionally, too – and that includes partners and family members.
There are many resources on the website that we can guide people to, but the most important thing we can do is to reply back to everyone personally, and do anything we can to help anyone suffering from physical and emotional pain.
Your fundraising from campaigns like Miles That Matter allows us to continue this important work. All of us at the M.A., including our small support team, really do appreciate your efforts – you really are making a difference to many, many people. Thank you.
Hello, my name is Juanita and I’m a helpline support worker at the M.A. 
I am part of a small and friendly team who provide help not just on the phone but in a number of other ways, including email and online, such as our live chat service and also via our Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Some of our volunteer support group meetings are also now running online, via Zoom and we have been delighted to help set up and facilitate this new service. This was initially as a response to the restrictions on face-to-face meetings during the pandemic. However, since they started we have received so much positive feedback from attendees and support group leaders that we are hoping to keep some of them going, even after restrictions are hopefully lifted.
Though they started as physical groups, our Zoom support group meetings are open to anyone, no matter where you live, so you would be very welcome to join them. Partners are welcome too.
Zoom meetings take away the fear of having to walk into a room full of strangers as you will instead be in the comfort of your own home. The groups are safe spaces where you can share your thoughts and feelings with others. If you don’t feel able to speak, that’s OK, it can be beneficial to listen. If you don’t want to start your video so others can see you then that’s OK, too. It’s about what you feel comfortable with. People are telling us they need support now more than ever, why not give them a try?
Your continued support via the Miles That Matter campaign is amazing and really will help us to keep on supporting others. Thank you.
Hi, I’m Helen and I’m a helpline support worker at the M.A
My back ground is in healthcare and I joined the Miscarriage Association three years ago as I’m passionate about improving bereavement support for women and their families who have experienced early pregnancy loss.
Our helpline runs from 9am to 4pm weekdays and we are a small and friendly team.
The calls we take can be wide ranging and varied, some might just be for practical information, others involve talking through how someone is feeling and what they are struggling with.
We know the pandemic has made it even tougher for some people, having to go to appointments alone and not having their family or friends around them. We understand and we are very much here for you.
Thank you so much to everyone who is supporting Miles That Matter. Your fundraising means we can carry on being there to help people through.