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Our Story
Where our journey started
On 11 April 2021, our daughter Poppy died.
She was our first child. She was desperately wanted, deeply loved and eagerly awaited.
Like so many parents, we spent months dreaming about the future that lay ahead – first smiles, first birthdays, family holidays and all the ordinary moments that make up a lifetime.
We never imagined we would spend her first but final precious few hours saying goodbye.
Where our journey started
On 11 April 2021, our daughter Poppy died.
She was our first child. She was desperately wanted, deeply loved and eagerly awaited.
Like so many parents, we spent months dreaming about the future that lay ahead – first smiles, first birthdays, family holidays and all the ordinary moments that make up a lifetime.
We never imagined we would spend her first but final precious few hours saying goodbye.
Trusting those around us
A pregnancy filled with hope
When I discovered I was pregnant, I was overwhelmed with excitement, but also fear. I had always been frightened of childbirth and throughout my pregnancy I spoke openly about my anxiety. I asked questions, sought reassurance and tried to understand my options.
Too often, I felt dismissed.
I was told not to worry. I was told anxiety around childbirth was natural. I was made to feel that my fears were something I simply had to overcome.
So I did what so many expectant mothers do. I put my trust in the people caring for me. I prepared as best I could. I attended courses, read books, practised hypno-birthing and tried to embrace the experience ahead.
April 2021
What happened next would change our lives forever
After my due date passed, I was admitted to hospital to be induced. Labour began and everything appeared normal. As first-time parents, we trusted that our baby was safe and that if something was wrong, someone would tell us. We had no reason to think otherwise.
During labour, opportunities to recognise that Poppy was in distress were missed.
Monitoring that should have taken place did not happen.
By the time concerns were recognised, panic had replaced reassurance.
I was rushed to theatre frightened, confused and not fully understanding what was happening to my baby.
When I woke from the general anaesthetic haze, I asked where was my daughter, we were told she was “gravely ill”.
Hours later, after every possible intervention had been exhausted, we were told the words that shattered our world.
Our daughter was dying.
At 3:35pm on 11 April 2021, we held our beautiful Poppy in our arms as she took her final breath.
April 2021
What happened next would change our lives forever
After my due date passed, I was admitted to hospital to be induced. Labour began and everything appeared normal. As first-time parents, we trusted that our baby was safe and that if something was wrong, someone would tell us. We had no reason to think otherwise.
During labour, opportunities to recognise that Poppy was in distress were missed.
Monitoring that should have taken place did not happen.
By the time concerns were recognised, panic had replaced reassurance.
I was rushed to theatre frightened, confused and not fully understanding what was happening to my baby.
When I woke from the general anaesthetic haze, I asked where was my daughter, we were told she was “gravely ill”.
Hours later, after every possible intervention had been exhausted, we were told the words that shattered our world.
Our daughter was dying.
At 3:35pm on 11 April 2021, we held our beautiful Poppy in our arms as she took her final breath.
The Unthinkable
No parent can ever prepare for a moment like that
In an instant, every dream we had for the future disappeared.
The nursery. The birthdays. The family days out. The memories we would never get to make.
Gone.
The grief was overwhelming, but so too was the confusion. We had been told it was a textbook pregnancy. We couldn’t understand how something so devastating could happen.
For years we searched for answers
We replayed every conversation, every appointment and every decision, wondering if there was something we had missed, something we could have done differently.
Then, in 2023, a coroner concluded that Poppy’s death was preventable.
We learned that she had suffered prolonged distress during labour and that effective monitoring of her heart rate had not taken place. That healthcare professionals had tried to cover up the truth about what happened and lied about Katie.
Those findings brought truth. But they did not bring our daughter back.
And perhaps most difficult of all was the feeling that, despite everything we had endured...
...nothing was changing.
We could not allow Poppy’s life to become another statistic.
We needed her life to mean something.
We needed her legacy to create change.
That was the moment Poppy’s Promise was born.
Not as a programme.
Not as a campaign.
Not as a strategy.
But as a promise from a mother and father to their daughter.
- a promise that she would be remembered.
- a promise that her life would matter.
- a promise that other families would not have to feel as alone, unheard and unsupported as we did.
Communication & Compassion
Throughout our journey, one truth became impossible to ignore
Healthcare is not only about clinical care.
- It is about communication.
- It is about compassion.
- It is about listening when someone says they are frightened.
- It is about making people feel heard, respected and valued.
Poppy’s Promise exists to embed those principles into healthcare at every level.
We work to improve communication, strengthen compassion and ensure that the human experience of care is never overlooked
We believe that:
- every patient deserves to be listened to.
- every family deserves kindess.
- every healthcare professional deserves the tools and support to deliver compassionate care.
- every interaction matters.
Making a difference
Today, Poppy’s legacy is helping to influence education, recruitment, training and culture across healthcare.
Her name is driving conversations that challenge systems, empower staff and improve patient experiences.
She should be here.
She should be growing up.
She should be making memories with us.
But because of her...
...change is happening
Making a difference
Today, Poppy’s legacy is helping to influence education, recruitment, training and culture across healthcare.
Her name is driving conversations that challenge systems, empower staff and improve patient experiences.
She should be here.
She should be growing up.
She should be making memories with us.
But because of her...
...change is happening
Poppy's Legacy
Honouring Poppy's Life by Creating a Better Future
While we cannot change what happened to Poppy, we can honour her life by helping to create a future where:
- Compassion is never optional.
- Communication is never overlooked.
- No patient ever feels alone.