Mummy’s Star is a charity dedicated ‘to women and birthing people diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy or within 12 months of giving birth’. It is the only charity in the UK and Ireland dedicated to such an important cause. Being pregnant and giving birth is an experience that requires so much strength and is one of the most significant and impactful experiences a mother or mother-to-be can have. Having cancer intertwined with an experience such as giving birth and having children is one of the most traumatic things many could imagine, for the mother, the partner, the children they may already have and all the relatives that surround them. Mummy’s Star focuses on those diagnosed during pregnancy, those diagnosed within the year of giving birth, families who lose those who have given birth within that year due to cancer, and the healthcare professionals that work with those during this traumatic time. It is an incredible charity dedicated to supporting those who experience something extremely traumatic and difficult to experience and navigate. For these women and families, the support of Mummy’s Star can be life-changing and unbelievably supportive as they try and find the strength to navigate something so painful to even imagine.
I learned about this charity’s amazing work because of one of the strongest, most inspirational and most dedicated women I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, loving and being loved by. The co-founder of this charity, who brought me to write about their work, was the wonderful Nicolette Peel MBE who, incredibly sadly for my family, passed away at the end of January this year. Nicolette was an overwhelmingly genuine, beautiful, warm woman who despite facing cancer herself around pregnancy and being terminally diagnosed later in life, was one of the warmest, most loving people I knew. She was an incredibly loving mother of three and a co-founder of this amazing charity, using her experience to create something that has helped countless families and those who have experienced cancer around pregnancy and birth. She was the kind of woman who had the comfort of a mother even if you had just met her, she made the room more saturated by just being in it and was only comparable to all the lovely, sweet, bright, warm things in life. The work she and the wonderful people around her have created since they were founded is beyond words and deserves every piece of recognition it could get.
Mummy’s Star’s work provides financial and emotional support, advocacy on behalf of these families, and help with those bereaved. Their vision is to help any family that would need and benefit from their support, and so they deserve our support in this vision too.
Mummy’s Star holds fundraisers and events and allows donations to help the community and help them to continue to provide this kind of support.
At the bottom of this article, there will be a link to their page where you can find all of the ways to get yourself involved by donating or holding a fundraiser, or finding support for yourself if this is something you have been affected by.
This charity deserves more support than I would ever be able to articulate, so definitely do get involved if you can.
Written by: Rebekah Thomas
Edited by: Stephanie Young