A Chartered Financial Planner has spoken of the tragic loss of his first baby, as his family strives to raise vital funds to find answers about miscarriage and still-birth.

Dan Atkinson FPFS APP ACSI is raising money after his wife Hannah lost a child two years ago through a miscarriage. One in four pregnancies in the UK results in the death of a baby, according to the charity Tommy’s.

Happily, the couple did have a baby last year – Phoebe. After ‘some quite scary weeks’ in the Neonatal Unit in hospital, she is now fit and healthy.

Mr Atkinson was awarded the Tommy’s Doting Dad award earlier this year and to help the charity, which provides support to families who have experienced miscarriages, still-births and other pregnancy complications, raise £1m, his daughter Phoebe will be taking part in a Splashathon next week.
He said: "We are delighted to be supporting Tommy's together. The money we hope to raise will help provide access for 60,000 couples to attend the Tommy's National Centre for Miscarriage Research and help them realise their dream of having a baby."

The event will take place during her swimming lessons with Water Babies, who team up every other year with Tommy’s to have a Splashathon, with many other babies up and down the country taking part as well.

The Splashathon will involve babies dressing up and swim a width. The last event in 2015 raised over £800,000.

Mr Atkinson and his family are now raising money for the charity as part of the event, with the funds being used to provide further research into miscarriages and other pregnancy problems.

Research by Tommy’s found that of the 2,129 babies born each day, nine are stillborn and over 650 are miscarried.

The funds raised will also be used to help more than 60,000 couples attend Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research, which allows couples to ‘realize their dream of having a baby’, according to Mr Atkinson.

His employer, EQ investors, will also be matching the first £1000 donated as part of their Matched Giving program.

To make a donation, please visit: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=atkinson

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