At the start of last year’s Group B Strep Awareness Month, Fiona Paddon set up a petition for routine antenatal tests for group B Strep carriage to prevent avoidable death, disability and infection. Almost a quarter of a million people have now signed the change.org petition.
One year on, here’s her update:
“Just in case you didn’t already know, July is Group B Strep Awareness Month.
And this July, charity Group B Strep Support is 20 years old! Whilst in some ways it is sad that we are not in a position where the work of GBSS is no longer needed, I wanted to celebrate their amazing work and persistence over such an impressive amount of time.
So, on 23 July in Henley-on-Thames, I will be donning my goggles and cossie to complete a 1500 metre swim in the River Thames, to raise vital awareness and funds. If you would like to show your support and help the work of the charity, please do visit my JustGiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/gilistars-gbsaware.
Or use the impetus of Group B Strep Awareness Month to make a special effort to raise awareness by sharing the petition, telling your own GBS story or by setting up or taking part in an event of your own.
Spreading the word about GBS is so important and every person you tell could be helping to save a baby like Edward’s life.
And on that note, I was lucky enough to be interviewed last month by Anna Foster of the BBC radio show Five Live Drive, who is doing a series of programmes looking at all sorts of problems that can happen in relation to conception and birth. I spoke to her about my experience of GBS and what happened to Edward and the changes that need to be made to help prevent other similar tragedies. She was really nice and understanding and hopefully some of what I said will be included in one of the programmes, due to go out on BBC Five Live on two Sundays towards the end of July. I will post another update when we know the exact date and and time of transmission and hopefully the message about GBS will reach even more people in Group B Strep Awareness Month.”
Fiona and Scott have done so much to raise awareness and funds so that others are spared the devastation that group B Strep can bring. Please click here to support her on her Justgiving page.Click here to visit Fiona’s fundraising pageClick here to visit the www.change.org/GBS petition
