A Glasgow mum is set to trek through the Himalayan mountain range in memory of her son who she lost at birth
In May 2016 Amanda Trainer, 37, was looking forward to welcoming her second child, Romeo, into the world, however, medical professionals sadly couldn't find his heartbeat.
After the harrowing experience Glasgow's Stillborn and Neonatal Death charity (SANDS) provided the mother with a cuddle cot and memory box full of treasured items to help her through the mourning process.
Now, the mum is hoping to raise as much money as possible by completing a trek in Romeo's name for the charity which is dear to her heart. The couple will be walking 20,000 steps per day for 20 days through the Asian mountain range in honour of those little footsteps that left a massive impact.
Amanda shared her experience of stillbirth and the SANDS charity with Glasgow Live, she said: "They were looking for a heartbeat but it wasn't there.
"I was going into a panic and the midwife was trying to find this heartbeat for a good six minutes. A baby's heartbeat is so much faster than an adults so because I went into this frantic state they picked my heartbeat up and thought it was my child's.
"I was sent away but something in me knew that something wasn't quite right. I decided to take myself to hospital and that was when I was told that my baby passed away 10 days before the scan.
"It took me about four years before I felt I was ready to get involved with the charity. SANDS provided a cuddle cot to spend time with him.
"Those moments are so special. They provided a little memory box which is something you don't think about when you are going through the grieving process at the time.
"There are photos in it and keepsakes that I will treasure forever. Following the birth I froze, so him being there for longer was everything to me.
"For the first hour I struggled to look or go near him. So that cot allowed me to hold him when I was ready.
"As for the box I never looked inside it until four months after giving birth to him. It now means everything to me."
Almost seven years after the birth of her son Amanda believes stillbirth remains a taboo topic of conversation.
She hopes that her story will help other mother's cope with the loss of their own children and allow them to realise that they are not alone.
The Uddingston mum said: "I closed myself off to the world for six months because I didn't want to see people without my bump or a baby.
"But as time went on I began to realise the importance of speaking out about this, because the truth is that there are lots of families who go through the same thing and it's not spoken about.
"I go out of my way, I'm always sharing my story in memory of my son.
"People sometimes think a stillbirth means there is something wrong with them. They feel like they've failed to carry a child and there is a bit of shame but it isn't their fault.
"When something happy happens people shout about it, but when you lose something it's a harder converstaion. However, if we spoke more then there will be more support."
The 37-year-old is travelling to Nepal with her partner Steven Waye who also experienced a similar trauma to the mum in 2006.
He lost his little sister Leah after she was born without a heartbeat. Amanda believes their similar stories have helped the couple's bond grow stronger.
She said: "I remember when he told me.
"It felt like we were living in parallel universes going through the same life because our paths were similar. I find it really comforting because nobody understands unless they have been through it.
"It is an unthinkable situation so it really is valuable that we both know what it is like through experience."
Now in memory of both Romeo and Leah they are raising money for SANDS to ensure that other families receive the support they need following a stillbirth
The couple is also raising cash for Team Alexis Rose in aid of meningitis now which is a charity that was named after a 19-month-old child who passed away due to the infection.
Amanda explained: "We are doing it for Leah, Romeo and Alexis whose footprints have made such a big imprint.
"We will be walking in the Himalayan mountains for 11 days and we think this is a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness.
"For 20 days we are doing 20,000 steps and it is called walking for awareness. If we can do anything to help we are all about that. I go on May 1 and it will actually be Romeo's birthday when I'm there, so I'll be in the mountains doing something to honour his life."
By completing this outstanding feat, the inspiring mum hopes she can show others who have experienced stillbirth that there is light at the end of the tunnel
She said: "I want this to encourage people.
"You can turn your pain into purpose and that's what helped me overcome my grief. When you survive something so tragic there is strength in that.
"I managed to figure out how to use what happened to me positively. It took a number of years of working on myself to get to that place.
"There's something special about people who go through difficult times and the way they change their lives."
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