In 2013 my then wife and I were delighted to find out that she was pregnant, having had our first son four years earlier.

At around 12 weeks we were blown away to find out that we had two more sons on the way. We were expecting twins. Lots of emotions flooded us, and we started to plan for two new arrivals. Two cots. double prams, two of everything that we had for our first boy.

Fast forward to 16th September 2013. We had a relaxing weekend in Edinburgh and drove down to the hospital on the Monday morning for a planned scan. We sat in the waiting room excited to see our boys on the screen. We were called by the sonographer, and she started to look for the heartbeats. She tried for a while whilst I held my wife’s hand. She excused herself from the room and brought the consultant back in. Only one of the boys had a heartbeat and the other had died. 

We were asked to sit in a room across the corridor and wait to see the consultant. We were in shock. We had sat in that same waiting room numerous times and had seen other couples taken across to that same room across the corridor. Now it was us.

On the 11th December 2013 both boys were delivered. One twin making everybody know he had arrived vocally and the other twin stillborn.

We spent four days in the Rainbow room within the hospital with both boys; Matthew and Oliver. A cold cot was provided for Oliver which was funded by Dumfries & Galloway Sands. A memory box was also provided by D & G Sands.

The Rainbow room was like a hotel room at the end of the maternity ward, with soft furnishing and a proper bed for mum and dad. It was also funded by Dumfries & Galloway Sands. We will be forever grateful to Sands for giving us the time to spend with both of our boys together.

Oliver was buried just before Christmas.

We attended Sands support meetings and met the Befrienders who have become friends who we are still in touch with today.

D & G Sands arrange a Christmas service every year and sadly the congregation grows each year.

Like every other parent who has gone through the tragedy of baby loss, I think about Oliver everyday. Whenever I get a chance to say his name I do. It helps. 

I have chosen to raise funds in memory of Oliver many times since he died and Sands UK and my local Sands Group continue to be by my side to support me.

Sands is such a wonderful, selfless charity that continue to support families in the UK.

I feel proud to remember Oliver with a Sands vest on and I look forward to the amazing atmosphere at London Marathon 2026.