Season 2 - Thank You

You know, Finding Space started as a podcast because I wanted somewhere where I could share my story, my first miscarriage.

I wanted to talk about what had happened because I felt so alone when it happened to me, uh, that it was still such a taboo.

You know, there was very little support, and I didn't want others to feel like that.

I, I just wanted to say it out loud.

And somewhere along the way, and especially during this season, it has become more than a podcast.

So even as season two was starting this year, I was preparing for The Others Day Brunch, which was the event created by Lana Manuchewski in Chicago.

So there was a lot going on behind the scenes, Instagram Lives, I had a visit to Newstalk, uh, to meet Claire McKenna again, uh, an article in the Connacht Telegraph, and an interview on Midwest Radio, which, as a Mayo woman, was a pretty big thing for me.

At the end of February, I was really honored to be invited by the Fertility Counseling Association of Ireland to speak at their quarterly meeting, which was a real full circle for me because it was held in the Merian clinic, and the last time I'd been there was back in 2021 when we had received very, very difficult news about our second pregnancy.

So walking back into that building years later because of Finding Space was quite emotional.

And then came The Others Day Brunch itself, which is the day before Mother's Day, and that was so special, uh, being able to bring people together who understood how complicated Mother's Day can be, creating a space where, you know, nobody had to explain why they were there.

They just came, the connection, pure connection.

It, it really was so special, and it meant so much to me.

And then being able to give back afterwards was, uh, even better.

So from the proceeds from the ticket sales and the incredible, generous additional donations that people made, I was able to present checks to the Miscarriage Association of Ireland and Ectopic Pregnancy Ireland, which are two organizations that have helped me on my own journey and have been hugely supportive of Finding Space.

And getting to finally meet both Jennifers in person was extra special, too.

Around that time, I also attended the briefing in Leinster House, uh, for the certificate of pregnancy loss, and for so many of us, you know, there's very little physical acknowledgement that our babies ever existed.

So, so it was really encouraging to hear support for something that will mean so much to so many people, and there's been amazing progress since then, more so with the proposed paid leave for pregnancy loss, but there is also work ongoing around the certificate.

So I know there's plenty more work to be done, but they're huge steps forward.

It's really, really important.

And I also want to acknowledge the incredible work that has been done in this area, especially by Senator Nicole Ryan, who was with me on season one, and last year she set up the cross-party Oireachtas group on pregnancy and infants loss, which includes the amazing team at the Pregnancy Loss Research Group in Cork who've been doing amazing work pushing for change, recognition.

So huge credit to each one involved in the group.

So then in May, I was invited to the launch of The Impossible Choice with the LMC Bereavement Support, and they launched a beautiful but heartbreaking book, sharing experiences of women who've been through TFMR in Ireland, including the reality that so many families still face having to travel abroad for cares.

And it was so lovely to meet some of the LMC team, and I also got to meet Suzy from Strength Beyond Loss in person after having her on the podcast.

You know, Finding Space started as a podcast because I wanted somewhere where I could share my story, my first miscarriage.

I wanted to talk about what had happened because I felt so alone when it happened to me, uh, that it was still such a taboo.

You know, there was very little support, and I didn't want others to feel like that.

I, I just wanted to say it out loud.

And somewhere along the way, and especially during this season, it has become more than a podcast.

So even as season two was starting this year, I was preparing for The Others Day Brunch, which was the event created by Lana Manuchewski in Chicago.

So there was a lot going on behind the scenes, Instagram Lives, I had a visit to Newstalk, uh, to meet Claire McKenna again, uh, an article in the Connacht Telegraph, and an interview on Midwest Radio, which, as a Mayo woman, was a pretty big thing for me.

At the end of February, I was really honored to be invited by the Fertility Counseling Association of Ireland to speak at their quarterly meeting, which was a real full circle for me because it was held in the Merian clinic, and the last time I'd been there was back in 2021 when we had received very, very difficult news about our second pregnancy.

So walking back into that building years later because of Finding Space was quite emotional.

And then came The Others Day Brunch itself, which is the day before Mother's Day, and that was so special, uh, being able to bring people together who understood how complicated Mother's Day can be, creating a space where, you know, nobody had to explain why they were there.

They just came, the connection, pure connection.

It, it really was so special, and it meant so much to me.

And then being able to give back afterwards was, uh, even better.

So from the proceeds from the ticket sales and the incredible, generous additional donations that people made, I was able to present checks to the Miscarriage Association of Ireland and Ectopic Pregnancy Ireland, which are two organizations that have helped me on my own journey and have been hugely supportive of Finding Space.

And getting to finally meet both Jennifers in person was extra special, too.

Around that time, I also attended the briefing in Leinster House, uh, for the certificate of pregnancy loss, and for so many of us, you know, there's very little physical acknowledgement that our babies ever existed.

So, so it was really encouraging to hear support for something that will mean so much to so many people, and there's been amazing progress since then, more so with the proposed paid leave for pregnancy loss, but there is also work ongoing around the certificate.

So I know there's plenty more work to be done, but they're huge steps forward.

It's really, really important.

And I also want to acknowledge the incredible work that has been done in this area, especially by Senator Nicole Ryan, who was with me on season one, and last year she set up the cross-party Oireachtas group on pregnancy and infants loss, which includes the amazing team at the Pregnancy Loss Research Group in Cork who've been doing amazing work pushing for change, recognition.

So huge credit to each one involved in the group.

So then in May, I was invited to the launch of The Impossible Choice with the LMC Bereavement Support, and they launched a beautiful but heartbreaking book, sharing experiences of women who've been through TFMR in Ireland, including the reality that so many families still face having to travel abroad for cares.

And it was so lovely to meet some of the LMC team, and I also got to meet Suzy from Strength Beyond Loss in person after having her on the podcast.