Melanie and Heath have undertaken numerous meaningful challenges

29 Oct 2024 | By Jill

Mel & Heath's Story

In 2010 we experienced our first ectopic pregnancy which was devastating and impacted my fertility. My right fallopian tube was removed with a 7 week old embryo growing inside it on the verge of rupture. We discovered my left tube was twisted, and despite the surgeons untwisting and stitching it open, meant chances of natural conception were severely reduced. We commenced IVF the following year and luckily for us Mimi was born from our first cycle.

Subsequent cycles were unsuccessful. After a break from fertility treatment we decided to try one last time, but spirit intervened & nainy Winifred provided a message of “don’t do IVF again, hubby or baby, you choose”. I chose Heath. But what happened next was even more of a miracle, 6 weeks later we were pregnant naturally. Freddy was born at start of pandemic.

Our family has felt complete and we never thought we would ever conceive naturally again, nor did we plan to. However in June this year I was rushed in for emergency surgery for a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. This pulled the rug from under me, physically, emotionally and mentally.

Fortunately I have a whole self-care toolkit to use this time and I reached out for help straight away to The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust.  I’ve learned from my past trauma that talking and taking action helps me to heal. So I’ve tried to channel this into something that feels I can make a difference for others, using my platform to be a voice for others too.

You can read more about Mel’s personal experience here.

Mel and Heath's Challenges

EPT80in1 Challenge

Taking part in The EPT 80in1 Challenge with our team OMG Fabulous really gave me a focus and chance to enjoy moving outside again.  The whole team came together, supporting each other and really embraced the challenge, covering a collective 1,464.1 miles during August.

Book Launch 

Saturday was wonderful! We had a fantastic evening, and everything went so well. I set up a small display area for the EPT, we sold 75 tickets, with 71 attendees joining us. I also brought 18 tulip lights—one for every four guests—to symbolize those affected by baby and pregnancy loss, inviting anyone impacted to take one. By the end of the evening, only two tulip lights remained, powerfully illustrating the reality behind the statistics

Heath’s Ride

The ride out with the lads was also a success—eventful in every sense!  Heath had 10 lads on the ride out in total, plus a support team of two who were always nearby in a van in case of injury or breakdown.  They spent 8-9 hours cycling on both Saturday and Sunday, covering an impressive total of around 200 miles. By Saturday evening, they looked like broken men, and arriving at the final destination was a testament to their endurance.

During the ride, I spoke with them about ectopic pregnancies, and their reactions were powerful. Many had no idea about the reality of this condition, and the conversation left them quite emotional. It was a meaningful moment that added even more purpose to our journey

Fundraising

With the EPT 80in1 Challenge, the book launch  and Heath’s ride, we have collectively fundraised £4,887!

Our heartfelt and immense thanks to Mel and Heath for their passionate support in raising vital funds and awareness through these meaningful challenges. If you’re inspired to support The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust by raising funds and awareness, please visit our fundraising page. You can also reach out to our Fundraising Coordinator, Jill, at Jill@ectopic.org.uk, who would be delighted to offer guidance and assistance.

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