Hello! I'm Laura, currently navigating my toddler era with my daughter Iris. 

I lost my mum physically in 2020, but lost her as a person long before that as she declined over a number of years following her diagnosis of Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. Roles reversed in such a short space of time, and my brother and I became her primary carers until she moved into a care home in 2018. Losing her right before my eyes is a type of pain that I still can't put into words, and I always feel guilt for the sense of relief I felt when she passed. Thankfully she passed before the pandemic, so we were able to be with her when she went - I can't imagine what things would have been like if she had passed just a few weeks later. 

Our relationship was a complex one - she was a motherless mother herself having lost my nan when she was just seven years old. She grew up without a maternal figure in her life and we often struggled to connect. It wasn't until I had Iris in 2023 that I had a new level of understanding for what it took for her to show up for us every single day. It's something I think about constantly and I wish she was here to see that the fiesty, fiery female genes live on in my family. 

In a twist of fate, I found The Motherless Mothers on what would have been my mum's 63rd birthday - which also happened to be Mother Loss Awareness Day. It was the first time I felt heard when it came to all of the conflicting emotions I had about becoming a mum without having my own mum by my side. Now, I manage our intake of volunteers, getting them onboard and overseeing the wide range of roles that we have our volunteers supporting us with. This is such an important community, and I'm proud to be able to offer support to women who sadly have to experience what I did, in the hopes that they feel much more supported and seen in society.