October is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, as proclaimed by Ronald Reagan in 1988.
October 15 is International Remembrance day.
What are your plans during this season of remembering?
What activities do you have planned? Where will you be?
Let us know – we want to hear about it.
Do you want to consider your event a stillbirthday event? Share our printable resources at your event, and take pictures! We want to add your event to our first newsletter this November.
An invitation from Heidi Faith!
If you are in Kansas City, Heidi Faith is planning a glowing spiral balloon release. It will require the help of 100 people. That’s right, 100 people. Since nearly 100 mothers give birth to a stillborn baby every day in the US alone (the number of babies born via miscarriage are even higher), this is an appropriate number. The balloon release is with the help of Balloon Garden.
If you’ve ever experienced a miscarriage, stillbirth, have struggled with fertility, or have lost a child at any age, you are invited to release a balloon. Perhaps you are a grandparent or an aunt to one of these children. It is a time to demonstrate our parenthood, our love, for these children who are not physically present in our lives but who are present in our hearts.
Come on out to the Northland, on the early evening of Monday October 15 (about 6pm), and help release a purple, glowing balloon. A pregnancy loss is still a birth, and is still a birthday. Come, honor the special stillbirthdays in your own life, by helping Heidi release 100 balloons.
Purple has been chosen because many mothers are uncertain of the gender of their babies born via miscarriage. Considering that pink represents the mother, blue represents the father, pink and blue together make purple.
Face painting and clowns for your surviving and subsequent children will help encourage them to see that they belong, that grief is safe, and that a pregnancy loss is felt by the whole family, including siblings. Kevo the Klown and Dodger the Clown may both be there!
The event is free, with an optional love offering recieved. I can’t do this without you, so please, just come.
Address:
Northland Cathedral (click for directions)
101 NW 99th Street
Kansas City, MO 64155
(When you turn into the driveway from N. Oak Trafficway, drive until you see the open lawn on the right side (east of the church). You can park anywhere and that east lawn will be the launch site.)
Time:
approximately 6pm-6:30pm (launch time will be around 6:15)
We’re holding a candle lighting in a local park as part of the Wave of Light… Also asked the library to put out pregnancy & infant loss grief resources for that week and they agreed!
Eagleville Park
Library Gazebo
100 ParkLane Drive
Eagleville, PA 19403
October 15, 6:45 pm
The hummingbird network will also be holding a balloon release from 5:30pm at The Campbell House in Southern Pines, Moore County, NC. Email hummingbirdnetwork@gmail.com to register or with any questions. Siblings are also welcome at this event 🙂
Where at in the northland? I would love to be there.
I’d love for you to attend. I am just waiting for confirmation – I will have the exact address up very soon.
I too would like to attend…would like to invite family and friends 🙂
my hospital where i gave birth to makayla is having a perinatal loss dedication ceremony that i was invited to so i will be attending that
I live in Indiana however I won’t be able to make it . I lost my daughter February 2 2012. I went to a walk in Sprindale ohio about 30 miles away from my hometown and decided I like the idea of the walk and balloon release so i got with my community hospital and a nurse who has helped me so much through all of this and so this year we are working on our 2nd annual walk / balloon release In Oldenburg Indiana!
I live in WVa and will be remembering our baby, TJ, who died at 10 weeks gestation on Oct. 15, 2010. I love you always, TJ!
Do we need to rsvp for this event? I’m planning on being there with my 2 daughters
Amber, I’m sorry for the loss(es) that bring you, but I do look forward to meeting you and your two daughters. Nope, you don’t need a reservation. I’ll see you there!
We’re holding a Walk to Remember tomorrow (Oct 14) in Halifax, Nova Scotia. http://www.walktorememberhfx.ca/