Poet Laureate for Birmingham, Casey Bailey, has thrown his support behind Birmingham Women’s Hospital Charity’s Woodland House Appeal to bring a standalone bereavement centre to the hospital, by penning a poignant poem which conveys the pain, anguish and heartbreak experienced by those who lose a baby.
He says: “I started writing poetry to express things that I didn’t know how to process. When writing this poem, I reminded myself how indescribable baby loss is, and how life changing. This is something that many people will never know, and I hope for them that this never changes, but I wanted to use this opportunity to convey the importance of Woodland House and the amazing work that will be done there.”
Approximately 2,000 women experience loss at Birmingham Women’s Hospital every year. When complete, Woodland House will be a safe-haven, away from the hustle and bustle of the maternity wards, where families can grieve in private and get the support they need.
The latest fundraising total stands at £1.6m and Birmingham Women’s Hospital Charity is urgently calling on members of the public to help it raise the next £1m, which will allow the hospital to begin building the much-needed centre.
Find out more about the Woodland House Appeal or make a donation online at bwh.org.uk/woodland-house.
Or to donate £5, text WOODLAND to 70970 (standard terms apply).
