When it comes to grieving a loss, our ministry and team members want you to know you are not alone.
Our Southside Virginia fetal and infant loss community outreach team hosted its 11th annual candlelight vigil on Oct. 15, 2022 to honor National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. The event was held at Bon Secours Southside Medical Center
“While our teams deliver numerous healthy babies at Bon Secours, we also strive to meet the specific needs of bereaved patients and family members,” Tanya Callender, our director of women’s and neonatal services, states.
This memorial celebration is a way of bringing the community together each year to shine light in the darkness for the grieving. Sharing in heartache and recognizing the impact these tiny humans have had in our lives is, for some, the first step on the path to healing.
This month is also Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, a time to recognize the unique and tragic grief experienced by parents who have lost a child due to miscarriage, stillbirth or death during infancy. It is also a time to ask ourselves how we can support bereaved parents and work to prevent the causes of these losses.
In the United States, one out of every four pregnancies ends in miscarriage and one and every 160 pregnancies end in stillbirth.
These numbers don’t even include infant death from preterm labor, diagnosis of life-limiting conditions or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Our ministry proudly offers resources for our patients experiencing the tragedy of pregnancy or infant loss. This includes chaplain services to a pediatric palliative and hospice program as well as the Flexmort CuddleCot™ system. Additionally, thanks to a donation in 2021, CuddleCot™ mattresses are now available at all Bon Secours labor and delivery units in our Richmond market.
If you or someone you know is looking for more resources, national organizations to look into include HelloGrief, Compassionate Friends and Creative Heartwork.
Also, learn more about all the palliative and hospice care services we offer at Bon Secours.
