Only hours left of the appeal to help build on the momentum from the defeat of the assisted suicide Bill and make this victory last.
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Damien Hirst’s giant sculptures of the development of the unborn baby are still on display in Qatar a decade later

The giant sculptures of the development of the unborn human revealed by English artist, Damien Hirst, a decade ago, are still on display in Qatar’s capital Doha. His 14 bronze sculptures tower up to 46 feet and show, in stunning anatomical detail, the development of an unborn baby boy from conception to birth. 

Commissioned by Sheikha al Mayassa Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, chairwoman of the Qatar Museums Authority, Hirst’s sculptures are displayed boldly in front of the Sidra Medical and Research Center, a facility in Qatar specialising in women and children’s health. 

The artworks can be seen from the desert and the motorway and weigh a total of 216 tonnes. 

‘The Miraculous Journey’ 

Hirst called the installation ‘The Miraculous Journey’. When asked about his inspiration for the sculptures, he said he became interested in exploring this area more after having children of his own. The father of three explained “Everyone talks about our life’s journey, but we have a whole journey before you’re born”.

The first of the 14 sculptures shows the moment of conception as the sperm fertilises the egg. Each sculpture shows the unborn baby at a different level of development, with one depicting twins in the womb. 

As the sculptures were unveiled, the sound of a beating heart was amplified so that onlookers, including members of Qatar’s royal family, could hear a heartbeat as they saw for the first time this grand depiction of new life. 

The role of art in provoking reflection

Hirst also emphasised that “For the education of everybody, it’s a great thing to say look this is real… this is how it works”. One art specialist noted the appropriateness of the statues, arguing “it reflects very much the mission of Sidra, taking care of the healthcare of woman and babies… I think it’s perfect for the location”. 

Another British artist, Tracey Emin, has used her artwork to provoke reflection about unborn babies. The memory of Emin’s unborn children whose lives were ended by abortion comes up throughout the years in her artwork. Her 1997 work Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963 – 1995, includes her two aborted children. Her autobiographical video of the same year also explores her abortions. In a 2011 exhibition, she displays textile work called The first time I was pregnant I started to crochet the baby a shawl, 1998-2004, recognising the lives that were growing inside her. 

The value of life before birth

Right To Life UK spokesperson, Catherine Robinson, said “These stunning sculptures are a striking visual reminder of the beauty of life before birth. The series of sculptures and the title of the work emphasise the continuous journey of life from the moment of conception to birth and beyond. They underline how each of us seeing and reading about these works of art began our own miraculous journeys in the same way: with a sperm fertilising an egg”. 

“The anatomical accuracy of the sculptures shows us the humanity of the unborn baby and celebrates the value of life before birth. We need more works of art that spark conversation about life before birth and remind us of the amazing journey that we have all taken from the moment we were created at conception”. 

Urgent appeal 
to save liveS

Help stop three major anti-life threats.

Only hours left of the appeal to build on the momentum from the defeat of the assisted suicide Bill and make this victory last.

Dear reader,

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of people like you across the UK, after a two-year battle, MPs voted by 286 to 270 to reject the Edwards assisted suicide Bill.

This followed the defeat of the McArthur assisted suicide Bill in Scotland by 69 to 57 in March this year.

Many commentators thought both Bills would become law.

If that had happened, this would have led to the deaths of many thousands of vulnerable people over the coming decades.

Because supporters like you acted, those Bills were stopped.

Because of you, many vulnerable lives have been saved.

A prominent pollster described the campaign against these major attempts to introduce assisted suicide, which brought together people from all walks of life across the UK, as one of the “most successful 21st Century UK social issue campaigns”. You helped make that possible.

WHY WE MUST NOT STOP HERE

What we have achieved together is extraordinary. But we must not rest on our laurels.

Dignity in Dying, a multi-million-pound pressure group, has made clear that it will keep campaigning to legalise assisted suicide. 

We cannot wait until another Bill is brought forward. We need to keep pressing for better care and strengthen the case against legalisation now.

WHAT COMES NEXT

The next phase of our Support Not Suicide campaign will operate across Parliament, media, online and in grassroots communities in every constituency across the United Kingdom.

Our focus now is to build on that momentum from the defeat of these assisted suicide Bills and make these victories last.

We want to build a United Kingdom where assisted suicide is seen as unnecessary – and where legalising it is seen as unthinkable.

The first part of that work is a sustained push for universal access to high-quality palliative, hospice and social care. No one should feel driven towards assisted suicide because they cannot get the care and support they need. 

We have already asked supporters to contact their MPs about improving care. With your help, we will keep that pressure on in every constituency, brief MPs and Peers on gaps in care, and make the case for better provision in the media.

The second part is building on these wins to ensure more MPs and more of the wider public understand the dangers of legalising assisted suicide. We will put evidence of those risks before MPs and Peers. We will work with mainstream journalists to bring the voices of people directly affected, doctors and other experts into the national conversation, and produce clear videos and articles that supporters can share online and in their communities.

Our network of 250,000 supporters covers every constituency in the UK. Thanks to people like you sharing our content, our posts and videos have been viewed more than 100 million times online in the last year. 

We want to utilise that massive reach for this next phase of the campaign.

WE CAN ONLY DO THIS WITH YOUR HELP

The two-year fight to stop these Bills drew heavily on our limited resources.

To replenish those resources and fund the next phase of the Support Not Suicide campaign, we aim to raise at least £199,250 by midnight this Sunday (4 October 2026).

We are, therefore, appealing to you to please give as generously as you can today.

Every donation, large or small, will make a crucial difference in protecting vulnerable lives. Plus, if you are a UK taxpayer, £1 becomes £1.25 with Gift Aid at no extra cost to you.

Will you donate now to help make these victories last and protect vulnerable lives?

Urgent appeal 
to save liveS

Help stop three major anti-life threats.

Only hours left of the appeal to build on the momentum from the defeat of the assisted suicide Bill and make this victory last.