A Warwickshire couple has launched a new charity, Felicity's Foundation, to provide vital support for parents navigating the profound grief of stillbirth. Jade Morris, 29, and her partner Joe Bebbington, from Leamington, established the organisation after their daughter, Felicity, was stillborn on 23 January this year. Their initiative stems from their own distressing experience and the realisation that many parents face similar challenges with limited support.
The couple's journey began with a routine appointment at Warwick Hospital when Jade was 36 weeks pregnant. Scans had indicated Felicity was undersized, and steroid injections were planned. However, tests on the day revealed a dramatic slowdown in the baby's heartbeat, necessitating an emergency Caesarean section. Jade, who was under general anaesthetic due to the urgency, awoke to the devastating news that Felicity had not survived.
Felicity's death was attributed to cord compression, a condition where the umbilical cord becomes twisted, cutting off the blood supply from the placenta. Hospital staff detected the issue when Felicity's pulse dropped significantly. Jade described the harrowing moments, stating, "I went to sleep thinking she was going to be there when I woke up, alive... I woke up and Joe was opposite me and he was the one who said she didn't make it."
Following Felicity's death, Jade and Joe were able to spend two weeks with their daughter in the Willow Room at Warwick Hospital. This dedicated bereavement suite, equipped with a temperature-controlled cooling cot, allowed them crucial time to begin their grieving process. This compassionate care inspired the couple to create Felicity's Foundation, aiming to ensure other parents receive similar or enhanced support, particularly as some hospitals lack such dedicated facilities.
The Office for National Statistics reported 2,255 stillbirths in England and Wales in 2025, equating to approximately one in every 250 births. This statistic underscores the widespread, yet often unspoken, nature of this loss. Felicity's Foundation has already connected with 32 mothers across the UK since January who have lost babies to stillbirth, creating a crucial peer support network. Jade, who works in a nursery, highlights the societal discomfort often surrounding stillbirth, making the charity's work in fostering open discussion and support even more vital.