Russell Howard and his wife, Cerys, will establish The Felix Foundation to support families after their infant son, Felix, died shortly after birth earlier this year. The couple said the loss brought them "unimaginable heartache" and described the months that followed as "the most devastating time of our lives." They thanked hospital staff for the "extraordinary compassion, kindness and humanity" shown during their stay.
Howard recounted how staff arranged a cool cot so the family could spend time with their baby. "During our time in hospital, Felix was placed in a cool cot, which meant that my wife and I were able to spend precious hours with our beautiful boy. We could hold him, talk to him and tell him how much we loved him. Those hours are among the most precious memories we have of Felix," he said.
The couple highlighted the role of a bereavement midwife named Lauren, who Howard said had retrained after experiencing a similar loss. "Her care meant more to us than we could ever put into words," he added, framing the personalised support they received as central to their decision to create a charity targeting bereavement care.
The Felix Foundation will focus on miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth, neonatal loss and related bereavement, offering a channel for funding and awareness aimed at families facing those tragedies. To launch the charity, the couple have organised the Stand-Up Gala, a fundraising night at London's O2 in February featuring major comedians, including Michael McIntyre, Jimmy Carr, Aisling Bea, John Bishop and Mo Gilligan. Howard said he would "never forget the generosity" of colleagues giving their time "completely free of charge."
Howard, 46, who has another son with Cerys born in August 2024, recently returned from the Edinburgh Fringe and is touring the UK with his stand-up show. The foundation and the O2 event represent the next steps the couple have announced as they seek to turn their personal loss into practical support for others who have experienced similar bereavements.
