I don’t know if we'll ever have the family we so desperately dream of. But by supporting Tommy's crucial work, perhaps others will.

Karen and her husband have had 4 pregnancies, all of them have sadly ended in miscarriage. Karen is taking part in the London Landmarks Half Marathon 2023 for Tommy’s, as she has found some comfort in reading the stories of others who, like her, have been trying to make sense of what has happened to them.

When I met my now husband at age 37, I was quick to tell him that I wanted children. I knew I didn’t have time to waste with someone who didn’t want the same things. Thankfully he did. That was 7 years ago.

In that time, we have made so many incredible memories together and have travelled all over the world; dancing on tables in the Alps, singing Karaoke until 5am in a bar in Tokyo and even walking on a glacier in Argentina.

Despite the laughs along the way, there has also been much heartache. Our path to parenthood has been littered with disappointment. 

While we have been lucky to celebrate 4 pregnancies, all of them have sadly ended in miscarriage. 

I’ve also had to undergo several invasive surgeries, one due to lesions caused by a D&C after our first pregnancy. It’s been nothing short of an uphill battle.

It’s tough waiting in the wings of parenthood while everyone else around us welcomes new additions. 

And, while I’m lucky to have an incredible support system of family and friends, I know they don’t truly understand how I feel because they haven’t walked in my shoes.

And then I found Tommy’s.

Being able to read the stories of other women (and men) has made me feel less alone

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve sat at my computer, wiping silent tears away as I comprehend what so many other people have gone through. 

While this isn’t the group anyone wants to become a member of, I’m so inspired by the strength these strangers have as they, like me, try to make sense of what’s happening to them. 

And that’s why I’m running the London Landmarks Half Marathon in aid of Tommy's. Through my own lived experience, I’ve learned that parenthood isn’t the rite of passage we all expect it to be. 

I genuinely don’t know if my husband and I will ever have the family we so desperately dream of. But by doing my bit and raising money so Tommy’s can continue their crucial work, perhaps plenty of others will.