Wymondham mum of stillborn son nominated for Tommy’s Award for giving hope to others online
Wymondham mum Laura Burdett has been nominated for a Tommy's Award for her blog Postcards for Findlay. Pictured here with son Leo. Picture: Louise Manning Photography - Credit: Louise Manning Photography
A Wymondham mum who has who has shared her grief to others online following the stillbirth of her son has been nominated for a national award.
Laura Burdett, 27, and her husband Tom were left devastated when their son Findlay was stillborn following a serious heart condition in July 2015.
As a means to cope with her grief, Mrs Burdett took to writing to make sense of his death, and a series of letters written to him evolved into the blog Postcards for Findlay. Mrs Burdett said: 'Postcards for Findlay is my way of including Findlay in all that we see and do; making memories for him and letting him know that, no matter how long, he will always be a constant presence in our hearts and in our thoughts.'
She has been shortlisted for a Tommy's Mum's Voice Award, which celebrates a mum who has spoken out about her pregnancy experience and given hope to others.
Friend Katrina Shaw, 29, who nominated Mrs Burdett for the award, said: 'Parenting after loss is a tricky and individual journey - the feelings of guilt can be crippling and the journey can be a lonely one.
'Through social media and her blog, Laura has confronted all of these feelings head on and given other mum's a place to share their own thoughts and feelings on parenting their sleeping babies, and their rainbows.
'By speaking so eloquently and honestly about her struggles and triumphs, Laura has given a voice to both her own grief and the grief of others.'
The Wymondham couple donated a heart monitor to Norwich and Norfolk University Hospital's maternity ward in Findlay's memory in 2016, to prevent other parents going through similar trauma.
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Mrs Burdett has since given birth to a healthy baby boy, called Leo.
Now in its 23rd year, the Tommy's Awards recognise heroes and families who have been touched by pregnancy complications or the loss of a baby.
The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on Friday, March 16 at the Landmark Hotel in London.