Supporting Mothers Through Loss: The Story Behind MAMA
Hi, I’m Michelle Topham—founder of Massage After Miscarriage Aotearoa (MAMA), a charity born from heartbreak, healing, and the desire to ensure no mother has to go through the loss of a baby alone.
MAMA exists to support mothers who have experienced pregnancy loss at any stage—from IVF loss through to full-term stillbirth. Sadly, many of us either know this pain ourselves or know someone who has. For me, the turning point came during my own miscarriage in May 2020, right in the middle of the Covid lockdown.
In the weeks following my loss, my sister gifted me a massage to help with the healing process. When I arrived at the spa, the receptionist—aware of my situation—greeted me with a bouquet of flowers. That simple gesture of compassion deeply moved me. In that moment, I realised how much it meant to feel seen and cared for, and I knew I couldn’t be the only one who needed that kind of support. And I wasn’t.
From that experience, MAMA was born.
What began as a small offering—supporting one mum a month in Tauranga—has now grown into a nationwide network. Over the past four years, we’ve had the privilege of supporting more than 400 mothers across New Zealand, the majority of them in the Bay of Plenty region.
Last year, I was incredibly honoured to be recognised as an ASB Good As Gold recipient. That recognition helped shine a brighter light on the work we do and the importance of acknowledging and supporting women through pregnancy loss. MAMA is still entirely volunteer-run, and I’m so proud of what we've accomplished together.
Every mother deserves to be cared for, to be seen, and to feel supported during one of the hardest moments of her life. That’s why MAMA exists—and why we’ll keep showing up, one mother at a time.
Thank you for taking the time to read our story. If you’d like to learn more or support the work we do, I’d love to hear from you.
With gratitude,
Michelle Topham
Founder, Massage After Miscarriage Aotearoa (MAMA)
mama_nz@outlook.co.nz