Dame Laura Kenny, Britain’s most successful female athlete of all time, has today been named as an ambassador for a leading pregnancy loss charity in the UK, The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust.
Kenny, who won five Olympic gold medals and seven World Championships titles whilst cycling for Team GB, joins the charity on Ectopic Pregnancy Awareness Day. The announcement follows Kenny’s own experience of an ectopic pregnancy in January 2022.
Kenny herself underwent emergency surgery in 2022, where one of her Fallopian tubes was removed. She competed at the velodrome later the same year, winning Commonwealth Gold in the scratch race.
Kenny has been vocal about the huge impact the ectopic pregnancy had on herself and her husband, fellow Olympian, Sir Jason Kenny. She says:
“I’m a resilient person but my ectopic pregnancy left me broken at the time. Jase and I were absolutely devastated. I felt so alone because there was the loss of the baby, but also the fear that I could’ve lost my life and never seen Jase or my son, Albie, again.
“I’m joining The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust as ambassador because it’s really important that doctors, nurses, families, or just anyone, know what symptoms to look out for so women get medical attention quicker. Ectopic pregnancy is still the leading cause of death in early pregnancy and raising awareness will reduce harm and save lives.
“I am proud to be supporting The EPT, because they provide vital support and information for women and their families during one of the most difficult life experiences there is.”
Munira Oza, Chief Executive of The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust (EPT), says:
“We are honoured to have Dame Laura Kenny join The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust as Ambassador this Ectopic Pregnancy Awareness Day. Laura has already used her platform to speak candidly and bravely about her experience of ectopic pregnancy and is doing vital work to bring conversations around pregnancy loss into the public eye.
“At The EPT, we passionately believe that deaths and harm due to ectopic pregnancy are avoidable and no woman should lose their life to the condition in this day and age. Laura is a passionate advocate for the cause and we are hugely grateful to her for her support.”
Ectopic Pregnancy Awareness Day
Ectopic Pregnancy Awareness Day runs on August 1st every year. Now in its third year, the day is dedicated to highlighting the 1 in 80 pregnancies that are ectopic and the experiences of those affected by the condition. This Ectopic Pregnancy Awareness Day, the charity is raising awareness of ectopic pregnancy among healthcare professionals who would be the first point of contact for women and people experiencing symptoms (known as primary care, out of hours care, or urgent care).
All photos via Getty Images
