A Co Fermanagh man has taken the initiative to set up a local football team for men who have been coping with the loss of a baby.
Garrison’s Dean Merrett is the man behind new club Sands United Enniskillen, which takes its lead from other similar teams which have sprung up throughout Northern Ireland.
Dean has his own personal story of baby loss, after the loss of his and his wife Frances’ baby Evan in August 2012.
Dean said setting up the club is something he has wanted to do since he first became aware of the initiative.
Dean added: “I always wanted to do it, it’s been happening over in England for years and there are a few places up the country have it but it’s too far away for us here.
“I said to my wife a few years ago when I first saw it, and she said to go and do it so that’s what I did.
“There is nothing down here, the main focus is obviously on the women and they go through the worst part.
“But when it happened to ourselves, there was a lot of people coming out and saying it had happened to them as well.
“Men hold a lot of things into themselves, they feel as if they have to be strong for their wife and their family.
“This is coming out for kickabout and we will play other teams across Northern Ireland.
“It’s just to get people together that have been through the same loss of losing a baby.
“If anyone feels as if they have any issues they can come and speak to us. We’re trying to build a bubble or a family where men can come out and talk about their grief.”
Speaking his own experience, Dean said the loss of baby Evan was one which numbed himself and Frances.
He said: “Our baby was kicking away as normal one night but then he went quiet in the morning time, that day was our scan anyway.
“We went in to the doctor for a routine scan and found that there was no heartbeat, and we just feared the worst then.
“They brought us up to the X Ray department, but we already knew and we walked from one end of the hospital to the other.
“We saw nothing and heard nothing, it was just totally blank.
“We were sent home that night and then we came back the next day and my wife Frances was induced and she had to go through the whole labour process.
“We were lucky in that we got to see our child, spend a night with the child and bury wee Evan with a proper funeral.”
There has already been a really positive reaction to the club so far locally, Dean said.
“My aim is to get everyone that has gone through this experience and try and get them together.
“The football part is secondary, whenever we can get together then we can kickabout.
“So it’s a commitment for people but not a major commitment.”
Sands United Enniskillen are still on the lookout for players, with anyone who feel they might benefit encouraged to get in touch with the club via their Facebook page.
