About Us

Holding hearts together through the storm of loss.

The Elizabeth Rose Foundation was born out of an unimaginable loss and a deep desire to bring hope to others facing the same pain. Losing a child is a heartbreak that shakes every part of life, especially the bond between parents. Grief can feel isolating, overwhelming, and impossible to navigate alone.

We understand how vital emotional support is during such a vulnerable time—not just for individual healing, but for protecting the strength of a couple’s relationship. Our mission is clear: no couple should lose their relationship when they lose their child.

Elizabeth Rose’s Story

On Tuesday morning, December 14 th 2021, we woke up early, excited to be induced and meet our precious baby girl, Elizabeth Rose. We sat together in the intake room, knowing she was in the perfect position for birth, ready to meet us. But as the midwives tried to find her heartbeat with the doppler, something didn’t feel right. A doctor came in to try again, but still, no heartbeat. They quickly moved us to have an ultrasound where our worst fear was confirmed, Elizabeth Rose had passed away.

In that moment, our world shattered. We had to make the heart-wrenching calls to our family, telling them the news we never imagined we’d share. As the induction process began, we tried to stay strong, knowing that we would soon hold our stillborn daughter in our arms.

At 8:28 am on December 15th, Elizabeth Rose was born, still and silent. Though we were filled with sadness, we were grateful for the time we had with her. We held her close, kissed her sweetly, and cuddled her as she lay in a cold cot. We cherished those precious days with her before saying goodbye, leaving the hospital on Friday. Our hearts were broken but full of love for our beautiful baby girl.

Sarah and Kaliym's Story

"Make sure you protect your relationship."

During their time at the hospital, Sarah and Kaliym’s bereavement midwife shared this piece of advice with them that at first felt confusing. With Sarah’s background as a Counselling Psychologist, and their strong marriage, they didn’t fully understand the gravity of this statement. They later learned that grief after the sudden loss of a child impacts a couple’s relationship. 1 in 3 couples who experience the loss of a child also then experience the loss of their relationship.

For Sarah and Kaliym, it seemed unthinkable that a person should not only experience the out of order death of their child, something considered by many as arguably the hardest thing to experience; but that they should then also lose their relationship. This was a heartbreaking reality they had not considered.

Sarah and Kaliym made a promise to each other — to live a life that embraced both the joy of living and the grief of loss. They did not want to retreat from the world or hide from the heartache; instead, they wanted to honour Elizabeth Rose by including her in their everyday life. They wanted her spirit to be a part of everything they did; to live life with a twist.

One day, as Kaliym worked in their rose garden, an idea began to blossom. A beautiful way to keep Elizabeth’s memory alive – to create a charity in her name focused on helping couples survive devastating loss. To honour her legacy and help others who were grieving and so, the journey of The Elizabeth Rose Foundation began.

Elizabeth’s legacy is powerful, and through this foundation, her memory lives on. Sarah and Kaliym will always carry her with them, supporting other bereaved couples in her name. No one should have to lose their relationship when they lose their child. Elizabeth Rose’s story is one of love, hope, and strength — a reminder that we can carry on, even in the face of unimaginable grief.

Our Mission

Supporting couples to protect their relationship while navigating the loss of their child during pregnancy, infancy or childhood by subsidising grief-focused couples therapy.

Our Vision

A future where no couple loses their relationship after losing their child.