#3 Infertility, Edward’s Syndrome, Mental Health and Reaching the End of the Road with Philippa Davies

If you’re struggling to get pregnant or you’ve lost a child, you dream of the day you’ll bring a living baby home. Whatever we go through, we cling to that hope. But what happens when there is no more hope? When you reach the end of the road without a living child in your arms?

Philippa’s story is one of the most heartbreaking I’ve come across. But it’s a tale that needs to be told, because not every story has a happy ending.

Introduction

Philippa Davies is the author of Dancing in the Wings, a play based on Philippa’s experience of infertility and baby loss. Dancing in the Wings is showing across theatres in North Wales and Cheshire during February and March 2020.

In the interview, we talk about:

• Undiagnosed polycystic ovary syndrome and struggles with getting NHS support for fertility treatment. (7:25)
• Philippa’s daughter, Sam, who was diagnosed with Edward’s syndrome. How Philippa chose to make the most of her pregnancy and the story of Sam’s stillbirth in January 2012. (11:55)
• Deciding to try again and IVF round 2. (30:57)
• Falling pregnant naturally, writing A Cookie for Christmas and losing another baby. (34:04)
• Philippa’s struggle with grief, PTSD, depression. How she searched for support and finally stumbled across Hope House. (37:11)
• Reaching the end of the road and feeling more hole than human. (46:30)
• How she came to write Dancing in the Wings. (53:28)

We talk about grief and I mention the sculpture, Melancoli, which can be found in Geneva, Switzerland.

You can connect with Philippa on Twitter @PhilippaWriter.

Dancing in the Wings is being performed at the following theatres:

Theatr Clwyd, Mold

27^th-29^th February 2020. Tickets: www.theatreclwyd.com or 01352 701521

Tŷ Pawb, Wrexham

6^th-7^th March 2020. Tickets: www.typawb.wales/or 01978 292144

Galeri Caernarfon

13^th March 2020. Tickets: www.galericaernarfon.com or 01286 685222

The Forum Studio Theatre, Chester

20^th-21^st March 2020. Tickets: www.chestertheatre.co.uk or 01244 341296