Ep 47. Karen Burgess, Founder & CEO Petals, with Alice Bailey: Life after Baby Loss

The Charity CEO Podcast

Trigger warning: This episode explores and talks about miscarriage, stillbirth and baby loss.

Baby loss and miscarriage is something that many parents face and yet it is still something that is not openly talked about in today’s society.

In this very special episode, I speak with Karen Burgess, Founder & CEO of the charity Petals, that provides counselling support to families affected by baby loss. Karen and I are joined by Alice. Alice shares with us the story of her daughter, Vera, and the journey that she and her husband, Dave, have been on with Petals.

Together we seek to dispel the stigma surrounding baby loss and encourage those who need support to reach out to specialist services like Petals.

Recorded August 2023.

Guest Biography

Karen Burgess is the Founder and CEO of Petals, The Baby Loss Counselling Charity.

Karen has been a practising counsellor since 1998. Alongside running a successful private practice, she gained wide-ranging experience across schools, the NHS, addiction units, workplaces and hospital settings. Since founding the organisation in 2011, Karen has grown Petals into a national charity, with 35 counsellors delivering over 6,000 specialist counselling sessions every year.

Karen has become a leading player in influencing change in the field of baby loss support and in raising awareness of the need for psychological support for bereaved parents. Karen is a member of the Pregnancy and Baby Charities Network, the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Baby Loss and the International Stillbirth Alliance (ISA).

Alice Bailey is a clinical nurse specialist originally from Sheffield. She now lives in Surrey with her husband, Dave, and their three boys, Fred, Ralf and Will.

In 2016, Alice and Dave became first-time parents to their daughter Vera. Vera was sadly stillborn at 38 weeks. Alice and Dave have since been supported by Petals, who have been by their side every step of the way.

Links

www.petalscharity.org