Seen, Supported, and Remembered: Meet MAMA’s Volunteers
Many organisations start from a moment of courage, which is how Massage After Miscarriage Aotearoa (MAMA) was born in 2020. In the lead-up to Mother’s Day, Michelle Topham faced the quiet pain of losing her second baby. Not long after, a massage voucher from her sister brought her to Sanctum Medi Spa, where compassion and understanding met her in unexpected ways. The therapist had experienced loss herself, and the receptionist greeted Michelle with flowers.
“I just stood there thinking, I can’t be the only one feeling this way,” she recalls. That moment sparked the vision for MAMA, an initiative where families navigating miscarriage could feel supported and gently cared for.
Care packages bringing comfort and support to mothers in Tauranga and Hamilton
MAMA provides therapeutic massage, facials, flowers, and care packages, creating small moments of comfort when families need them most. Families are referred through midwives, and sometimes friends or whānau, helping MAMA reach people in towns and even rural communities across Tauranga and Hamilton. Each connection is a reminder that grief is valid and that there are small ways to support others through this vulnerable time.
“I had lots of chats with friends and realised many had experienced something similar,” Michelle explains. “It has been a journey of courageous conversations and that whole feeling of being seen and not so alone.”
Quietly working behind the scenes are the volunteer angels of MAMA. Neela Bhana, for example, plays an important role in supporting MAMA’s growing reach through tracking and understanding the organisation’s impact and helping to streamline the referral process so mamas can access support more easily during what can be a really difficult time. Says Neela,
“MAMA does some truly special work. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes to make that care possible, from managing referrals and organising treatments and care packages, to the fundraising efforts that help sustain it.”
Friends and supporters come together to fundraise at a MAMA high-tea event in Hamilton
Michelle also notes the wider volunteer team, from trustees to fundraisers and behind-the-scenes helpers who ensure MAMA can continue to operate smoothly.
Neela got involved after being referred herself in 2025 after losing her daughter. “It ended up being a moment of care I didn’t even realise I needed,” and says this is a meaningful way for her to return the kindness she was shown, to “help pass on the same compassion I was shown to other loss mamas at a time that words cannot begin to express.”
Her advice for others who are considering giving volunteering a go is:
“I’d really encourage you to just start. Time is such a valuable thing to offer, and it doesn’t have to be huge, even a few hours of support can make a real difference. Being involved with MAMA has shown me how much organisations rely on people quietly contributing what they can, and how meaningful that can be to be part of.”
With the continued support of volunteers like Neela, donors, and community partners, MAMA keeps expanding its reach, creating spaces of compassion, acknowledgment, and healing. With each massage, care package, and gentle gesture, families are reminded that their grief is seen, their stories matter, and they are held by a caring, understanding community.
