Reflecting on a powerful start to the year
As we step into the second quarter of 2025, we’re proud to reflect on the incredible impact our small but mighty team has had in just the first three months of the year.
Support Services: Reaching More People Than Ever
We supported 874 people this quarter — a significant increase from 789 in Q1 2024. March saw a particular surge in demand, driven by our ‘A Month to Change Minds’ campaign, our feature on ITV News, and the release of The Jess & Baby Elsie Documentary.
In March 2024, 217 people reached out for support — and our data shows this year’s March figures are 316, exceeding last years also.
We’ve responded to:
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473 initial WhatsApp contacts
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91 hours of telephone support
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705 people reporting nausea, and 574 experiencing vomiting
And we’ve listened:
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87% of respondents gave our support service 10 stars
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86% gave our Peer Support Service 10 out of 10
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46 people told us our support helped improve their symptoms
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7 said our support influenced their decision to continue their pregnancy
To meet rising demand, we welcomed Jasmine to the support team, working Mondays to help when we’re at our busiest. We also introduced a new contact form on our website and Beacon system to improve data collection and initial response times.
Peer Support: A Lifeline for Many
This quarter, we made 114 peer support matches.
We also trained 13 new volunteers, bringing our total sign-ups to 56 so far this year.
“I credit the peer support with saving my sanity and stopping my mental health from hitting rock bottom during the worst weeks of my HG. I was in a dark and lonely place before my fiancée suggested getting a buddy… It was the best decision I made.”
Counselling & Training
We delivered 114 counselling sessions and trained 450 healthcare professionals across the UK.
We also:
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Delivered student midwife training at Bournemouth University
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Provided training for Birthrights and PANDAS Foundation
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Released a podcast with The Breastfeeding Network on breastfeeding and HG
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Attended and exhibited at the Black Maternal Health Conference
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Welcomed 5 new HG Advocates
Advocacy for Treatment: Xonvea Campaign
Our work to improve access to Xonvea, a licensed HG medication, has ramped up.
We have:
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Conducted a survey in Dorset and connected with the Medicines Management Team
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Developed a national breakdown of Xonvea availability
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Produced a supporting campaign document to push for inclusion on formularies across the UK
Connections & Collaboration
We’ve strengthened our partnerships and collaborative work with:
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PANDAS Foundation
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Bright Beginnings Guernsey
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Birmingham University
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Services in Wales and Scotland through the MMHA network
Fundraising & Awareness: A Month to Change Minds
We launched ‘A Month to Change Minds’, a new campaign blending fundraising with advocacy.
So far, we’ve raised:
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£10,662.44, including match funding from The Big Give
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Over £1,000 in Gift Aid
The campaign brought a noticeable rise in awareness, resulting in:
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Doubled donor recruitment compared to Q1 2024
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More major donors than the whole of 2024 — in Q1 alone
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Independent fundraisers in Q1 matched the total for all of 2024
The campaign continues until 13 April, so we expect those numbers to rise even further.
Thank you to every supporter, volunteer, fundraiser, donor, and professional who’s helped make this impact possible. We’re building a future where people with HG are believed, supported, and treated — and thanks to you, we’re off to a strong start in 2025.
If you would like to help us smash our Q2 fundraising targets you can donate to us here.