I aimed high this year. Guinness World Record. Fundraising goals. Quitting my job to commit full time to Room Eleven. I didn’t hit most of what I aimed for… but I still ended up further ahead than when I started.

This podcast episode is just me talking through my year. In retrospect, feeling a bit too sorry for myself, but still optimistic of the future. Owning the losses. Learning from the f#ck ups and finding success in the little things.

Overall, it was a year of learnings. And as far as I see it, you can’t fail if you learn something from it.

In this episode of the Room Eleven Podcast, I speak with Gavin Blue, a Melbourne-based photographer and founder of Heartfelt, a volunteer organisation offering compassionate photography to families experiencing pregnancy and infant loss.

After losing his daughter Alexandra in 2006, Gavin turned his grief into action, creating Heartfelt to give families meaningful memories through professional bereavement photography. What began as a personal response to loss has grown into an organisation of more than 320 volunteers across Australia and New Zealand, supporting over 18,000 families.

Gavin’s photography career spans more than 30 years across advertising, editorial, and corporate photography. He has photographed CEOs, Olympians, major events, and worked on large-scale campaigns. He has served as President of the ACMP, chaired the Fuji ACMP Collection, and continues to run a busy commercial photography practice in Melbourne.

This conversation explores:

Gavin’s journey into photography

How personal loss inspired the creation of Heartfelt

The role of bereavement photography in supporting grieving families

Building a community of volunteer photographers

Channeling grief into meaningful work

It’s a grounded and true discussion about grief, growth, resilience, and the power of healing through images.

👉 Learn more about Heartfelt: https://heartfelt.org.au

👉 Learn more about Gavin’s photography: https://www.gavinblue.com

#Grief #PregnancyLoss #Stillbirth #BereavementPhotography #Heartfelt #GavinBlue #RoomElevenPodcast #GriefSupport #Resilience #PhotographyPodcast #MelbournePodcast #StorytellingThroughImages

On this episode of the Room Eleven Podcast, I sit down with Samantha Payne, Co-Founder and CEO of the Pink Elephants Support Network. A national support network for mothers impacted by miscarriage and early pregnancy loss.

We talk about Sam’s devastating experiences of multiple losses, how it inspired her mission for change, and how those experiences have shaped her as both a mother and a leader.

We learn about Pink Elephants’ groundbreaking new digital Circle of Support, a tailored program to support mothers even further. We discuss the progress that's been made in supporting families through early pregnancy loss, and the cultural shifts that still need to happen to bring this issue into the spotlight even further.

If you’ve experienced loss, or just want to understand how to support those who have, this conversation is a must-listen.