The Elaine Thorp Award
Following pregnancy and baby loss, healthcare staff can make a huge difference to the experience of bereaved parents and families.
The Elaine Thorp Award for Bereavement Care aims to recognise the vital work done by midwives, nurses, and other health staff to care for parents affected by pregnancy or baby loss.
The 2026 shortlisted nominees
It was so moving reading this year’s nominations.
To every single person who was nominated – you’re making an unbelievable difference to bereaved parents and families. We also want to thank everyone who shared their real stories - for taking the time to recognise both the care you were provided with and the hard work of healthcare staff.
We understand it’s not always easy to look back on those moments, but to acknowledge the people who had an impact on your bereavement journey is truly appreciated.
Our panel of experts reviewed all the nominations, and we are pleased to announce the shortlisted nominees below.
Beth Saunders-Smith, Bereavement Support Midwife at Worcester Royal Hospital
Beth was nominated for her deep understanding of her patients and their evolving needs through pregnancy loss.
In her nomination, bereaved mum Gemma described the care Beth provided as ‘phenomenal’ and ‘seamless’.
She makes me feel like I’m the only one that matters at that time...She has always been there and I have no idea what I would have done without her support and guidance. We are 16 months down the line from me losing Flora and 5 months on from losing Pip. I don’t think I’d have even gone back to work without her support.
She helped in the days after Flora died by suggesting different things on offer, such as the photography, hand and footprints, taking her out in the bereavement garden and having photos. How to spend time with her and enjoy the time I had with her. She has been phenomenal...A truly amazing woman with more compassion and care than anyone I have ever known. Thank you will never be enough.-
- Bereaved mum, Gemma
Beth shared she feels ‘proud’ to make a difference to bereaved families.
It is such a privilege to walk alongside these families and to be part of a team at Worcestershire Acute Trust who recognise the crucial importance of good, compassionate bereavement support and strive to do as much as they can for these families. I have been in the role of a bereavement support midwife for 8 years now and although I wish such a role was never needed I feel so very proud to be able to make a positive difference in the journey of a bereaved family.
Working in this capacity is not always easy but to feel you have made a difference and for that to be recognised is incredibly special.
- Bereavement Support Midwife, Beth
Fay Martin, Bereavement Midwife, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust
Bereavement Midwife, Fay was nominated by bereaved mum Rachael for her incredible support during and after the birth of her twins.
These moments, though deeply painful, are ones I will always cherish, and they were only possible because of her kindness and guidance.
Fay embodies everything that compassionate, personalised bereavement care should be. Throughout every stage of our journey, she consistently went above and beyond her role, not only through her clinical knowledge but through her humanity, leadership, and unwavering kindness.
She supported us through the most devastating decisions and moments of our lives with dignity, honesty, and respect, ensuring our twin boys, Robin and Rory, were always spoken about, treated as individuals, and remembered with care. From the earliest days in fetal medicine through to our TFMR, I truly do not believe I would have been able to get through that period without her.- Bereaved mum, Rachael
Fay was flattered to receive the nomination from Rachael and her family.
Families will remember every detail of the time spent with their baby. Being part of that memory is a privilege and so important that we do everything we can during this period to meet the needs they didn’t know they have.
Holding the space and listening, I think are the ways to try and understand what each family need. Providing gentle reassurance that their emotions and feelings are valid and normal under these hugely difficult circumstances. This nomination shows the way that these relationships develop whilst families navigate baby loss and grief. It is one of the many reasons that I am lucky to say I love my job.
- Bereavement Midwife, Fay Martin
Helen Wilson, Midwife, Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital
In 2025, Helen cared for her first bereaved family after qualifying as a Midwife. Bereaved mum Ashley nominated her following the death of her son.
Helen helped us create positive and meaningful memories with our son, Benjamin, by treating him with love, dignity, and humanity from the moment he was born. She spoke to him, held him with tenderness, and cared for him as if he were alive, which allowed us to feel like his parents and truly be present with him.
In the darkest hours of our lives, Helen gave us safety, dignity, and humanity. I truly could not have asked for a better midwife, and she is profoundly deserving of recognition for the empathy and compassion she brings to families experiencing unimaginable loss.
- Bereaved mum, Ashley
Helen aims for ‘gold-standard’ bereavement care that recognises every family’s experience of loss is unique.
As midwives, supporting parents through some of the most difficult moments of their lives, we only have one chance to get this right. By taking the time to understand a family's wishes and what is important to them, we can provide personalised care that helps them feel respected and supported.
Whether through memory-making, supporting birth preferences, or simply being present and showing compassion, it can be small acts of kindness that make the biggest difference to how they look back on those precious moments with their baby.
- Midwife, Helen Wilson
Dr Janet Reeve, GP, Rope Green Medical Centre, Crewe
Dr Reeve was nominated by bereaved mother Katie for the support she offered her following the loss of her baby Olivia. She has been seeing Katie regularly and gave her the 'space to open up' and be listened to.
She was one of the few people that managed to meet Olivia, during an appointment for myself. When I returned following her death, she reminded me of how she had meet her and comment on her blanket and how content she was and her doing so made it easier to talk about her as I felt like she knew her.
Dr Reeve ensured all of the health professionals involved in Katie's care was aware of Olivia's passing.
Without her I don’t know how I would have gotten through the wait for counselling. As a family we can’t think her enough for the support she has offered me
- Bereaved mum, Katie
Dr Reeve was ‘humbled’ to be nominated for the Elaine Thorp Award for Bereavement Care.
The fact that a family has taken time, amidst unimaginable grief, to nominate me is so touching. It truly is those families who deserve an award. It is a privilege to be trusted to be alongside families during the most difficult of times.
- Dr Janet Reeve
Kirsty Webb, Bereavement Midwife, University Hospital Wishaw
From the moment Kirsty met bereaved parents Ashley and David, she took the time to understand their individual needs.
She didn't just focus on me as the patient, she recognised that David was going through this loss too and made sure he felt supported throughout the day…Kirsty listened carefully to what we were saying and responded to our needs rather than just following a standard procedure. She made us feel like we mattered as people, not just as another appointment on her schedule.
- Bereaved mum, Ashley
Kirsty advocated for the parents’ needs, ensuring they were able to say goodbye to their baby and had the time and space they needed as a family. The family described Kirsty as the reason they got through the worst day of their lives.
She was like a guardian angel to us. On a day when we felt like our world had fallen apart, Kirsty made us feel safe, supported, and cared for. What sets Kirsty apart is that it didn't just feel like she was doing her job. She was genuinely concerned for both mine and David's wellbeing. She saw us as people, not just as patients, and she recognised that we were both grieving the loss of our baby.
- Bereaved mum, Ashley
Kirsty felt ‘honoured’ that a family has taken the time to nominate her for this award.
I feel deeply privileged to care for families through the heartbreak of miscarriage and stillbirth. It is an honour to offer compassionate, person‑centred care at such a vulnerable time, and I learn from each family's journey. Being nominated for the Sands Elaine Thorp Award for Bereavement Care is profoundly humbling.
- Bereavement Midwife, Kirsty Webb
Marie Purdie, Health Visitor, Brooksby Medical Centre, Largs, Scotland
Health Visitor Marie was nominated by bereaved parent Emma, after her son Jonah died.
In her nomination, Emma described how Marie supported the family through the ‘ordinary moments of parenthood’ and ‘the most devastating loss’ they had ever experienced after losing their son, Jonah.
What makes Marie truly exceptional is the way she combines professional knowledge with genuine humanity. She never offered routine responses or one-size-fits-all care. Instead, she responded to us, our emotions, our pace, our needs as individuals and as a family. She remembered what mattered to us, spoke Jonah’s name with tenderness, protected us when we felt vulnerable, and stood beside us in ways that went far beyond what we ever expected, Marie even attended Jonahs funeral with my midwife Beth, they were the first faces I seen when I walked into the service and the strength that gave me will never be forgotten.
- Emma, bereaved mum
Marie helped Emma and her family by making sure they knew their voices mattered, offering practical and emotional support, advocating for them and made a lasting difference to how they remember and honour their baby.
The nomination was a 'real honour' to Marie.
As a Health Visitor you are very often in the privileged position of having a special relationship with families prior to the tragic loss of their baby, sharing with them happy and sad events in their lives - this makes providing support and good bereavement care more personalised.
Supporting families through the devasting loss of a baby is one of the most important parts of my role as a Health Visitor and it is a privilege to walk alongside them during such a difficult time. To be recognised by bereaved parents and Sands is a real honour and reflects the importance of treating every family with kindness, dignity and compassion.
- Marie, Health Visitor
Tanveer Akhtar, Midwife, Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham
Midwife Tanveer cared for Beka and her family in April 2025 following the loss of their daughter and again in December 2025 following the loss of their son.
Tanveer created a safe space for us from the very first moment we met her. In the midst of overwhelming grief, she brought a calmness that made us feel protected and supported. She ensured we had privacy, spoke to us with such gentleness, and never once made us feel rushed or like just another case. She encouraged us to express our emotions openly - whether that was silence, tears, questions, or simply sitting with our babies - and reassured us that however we were feeling was okay. She advocated for us when we didn’t have the strength to do so ourselves, making sure our wishes were respected at every stage. Because of her compassion, patience, and quiet strength, we felt safe enough to grieve, to be parents to our babies, and to begin navigating the unimaginable with dignity and care.
- Beka, bereaved mum
The nomination for Tanveer also recognised how she made sure the families’ voices mattered, advocated for their needs, protected their dignity and ensured their babies were treated with the utmost respect and love throughout their heartbreaking experience.
Tanveer describes the nomination as meaning 'so much' to her.
Being shortlisted for this award is incredibly humbling. The fact that a family took the time to nominate me while navigating their own grief means so much to me, and it also reassures me that I was able to provide support when they needed it the most.
This recognition reflects the importance of keeping families at the centre of everything we do, and I am honoured to represent every family that I have cared for, the bereavement team, and the wider University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.
- Tanveer, Midwife
What next?
The winner will be announced at an award ceremony in the Houses of Parliament in London on 8 September - stay tuned, as we’ll be sharing the news across on our website and social media channels.
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We're here for you if you need support
Sands is here to support anyone affected by pregnancy of baby loss, always. Find out more about all the ways we support everyone affected by pregnancy and baby loss. You are not alone.