King’s Bereavement team win at the Mariposa Ball
28 March 2024 - King's Bereavement team received recognition at the Mariposa Trust Charity Gala Ball for their compassionate care for families coping with child loss.
Congratulations to three members of the King’s Bereavement team on being recognised at this year’s Mariposa Trust Charity Gala Ball on Saturday 16 March at the Landmark Hotel in London.
Christina Axton, Neonatal and Paediatric Bereavement Clinical Nurse Specialist Cross-site, won the special recognition award in the Archie Bereavement Professional of the Year Award and Sara Hunt, Bereavement Midwife at the Princess Royal University Hospital, won the special recognition in the Bereavement Midwife of the Year category.
Annemarie Sworak, Paediatric Bereavement Clinical Nurse Specialist, was also shortlisted in the Archie Bereavement Professional of the Year Award.
The Mariposa Trust (also known as Saying Goodbye) is a national charity that supports people that have been affected by the loss of a baby, whether during pregnancy, at birth or in infancy. In 2018, the charity launched the Mariposa Awards which recognises medical professionals and others making a difference in the lives of people who have experienced baby loss.
Christina, Sara and Annemarie were all nominated by families they cared for. The nominations were reviewed by top professionals, charity ambassadors and other bereaved parents before being shortlisted.
Christina said of her award: “The work of the Mariposa Trust is well-known internationally, so I feel exceptionally honoured to have received this award.
“My role at King’s is to me a vocation, having the opportunity to stand alongside all those families whose lives are devastated by the loss of a baby/child is a privilege. The pain and loss is like no other, and for many it is unimaginable, so for me to be able to offer comfort or enable families to make memories is truly precious.”
Sara Hunt added: “Being recognised this way is a real honour. I am extremely proud of the work that we do, as a team, at King’s to support our bereaved families. I really do love what I do, it is my absolute passion and I genuinely care for and form lasting relationships with our bereaved families.
“To try and bring a little comfort to those experiencing the devastating loss of a child is so important to me. It is an absolute privilege to be one of the lucky few who get to meet those precious little ones and I will never take that for granted.”
Annemarie said of being shortlisted for the Archie Bereavement Professional Award: “I am humbled to be nominated for this award. I am amazed that a family going through the worst time in their life could even contemplate nominated me for this award.”
The Midwifery and Paediatric bereavement teams at the Trust have created the Bereavement Fund in collaboration with the King’s College Hospital Charity. The Bereavement Fund is a dedicated fund to support families who have lost their baby or child at the Trust.
To find out more about the award results visit the Mariposa Trust Charity Gala Ball website here.