Twin's Stillbirth Inspires Grieving Stratford Father's Children's Book - BBC News
By James Bovill
Published 15 September 2026
Warning: This story covers stillbirths and some people may find the details distressing.
One date remains etched in Richard Ganjavi’s memory: 6 August 2024. It was the day of a routine 34-week scan for the twins he was expecting with his wife, Naomi.
"The room went quiet. [The woman doing the scan] said the words that shattered everything: 'I'm so sorry, there isn't a heartbeat.'" - Richard Ganjavi
Naomi and Richard were rushed from Stratford Hospital to Warwick Hospital, but Bella was stillborn.
"We just fell to pieces." - Richard Ganjavi
In the two years since, Penny, Bella’s twin sister, has celebrated her second birthday. During this time, Richard processed his grief by writing a children's book, Whispers of a Purple Butterfly, inspired by his story and dedicated to Naomi.
The primary school teacher began writing within weeks of Bella's death. He explained, "We had two cots upstairs, two seats in the car, a double pram. Two years on we could be walking down the street, and see someone with twins and every time it just gets you."
"In a way you never get over it." - Richard Ganjavi
The book tells the story of Lucy, a fictional 10-year-old who is the surviving twin of a similar situation, aimed at children aged eight to 12. Richard hopes the novel will help bereaved parents and therapists use it as a tool for healing.
"I've had so many messages from bereaved parents, people who've lost a family member or a close friend... 'wow, where was it when I needed it'." - Richard Ganjavi
He is also working with Holly Hawkesford, a midwife at Warwick Hospital and founder of the charity Jasper's Rainbow. Her son, Jasper, died seven hours after birth in 2014. Both Richard and Holly are pushing for greater awareness around baby loss.
"Books are a mirror and a window... People who've been through a similar experience need to see that mirrored back." - Holly Hawkesford
Richard and Naomi regularly visit the hospital’s Rainbow Garden, where Bella is remembered with a glass leaf. They have become close friends with nurses at the special care baby unit who supported them after Bella's death; two of these midwives are now Penny's godmothers.