Dad who lost twins praises Wigan charity's support

A father of stillborn twins has told how a charity helping dads affected by baby loss has supported him.

Christopher Jones's daughters Harper and Lily were delivered in the 26th week of his partner Susie's pregnancy earlier this year.

"It is the probably the worst pain anybody could go through. It never goes away," he said.

Mr Jones said Daddys with Angels, a charity based in Wigan, had "helped me more than I can say".

It was set up in 2010 to address a lack of support for bereaved fathers.

Mr Jones said the charity had offered invaluable support, describing it as "a brotherhood" and "a family".

"It is an unfortunate family to be in but probably the best family you could want," he said.

"Everybody understands. I don't think I'd be here.

"It's more than physical pain. You have your good days and your bad days.

"I don't want to go to sleep because I know what I'm going to see. It's reliving the birth over and over again."

Daddys with Angels is now run by Dan Hill, who along with his wife Jade has endured 11 miscarriages and the death of his daughter Isabella after just eight days in 2013.

Mr Hill discovered the volunteer support network two years after his daughter's death.

"I was really struggling," he said.

"I'm an ex military man, ex prison officer, you name it I've done what are supposed to be strong jobs out there.

"That doesn't help what is going on in your head and at any point I was circling the drain."

He said he was helped by the the charity's original founder Paul Scully-Sloan.

"Luckily, Paul got me when he did because sometimes dads just think there's only one way out and there isn't," he said.

Mr Hill took over running the charity in 2019.

He said losing a child was "isolating" and "devastating" for fathers who are told by society they are "the strong ones and they don't need help" and that was not true.

"The first battle is to open up the communication lines and from there we start to help them on the healing process," Mr Hill said.

He said Daddys with Angels provided the "necessary release" fathers "just don't have anywhere else".

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If you or someone you know has been affected by issues with pregnancy and baby, these organisations may be able to help.

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