“Families enjoyed the activities and the opportunity to talk and be together” – poignant events are held to mark national Baby Loss Awareness Week

Family members came together for poignant gatherings to mark Baby Loss Awareness Week. Seventeen people attended a reflective event organised by East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) at The Nook. Parents and children made window crystal suncatchers, in memory of their babies, and had the chance to tie blue and pink ribbons to trees in the hospice grounds. They were also given a bag to take home containing a candle, snowdrop bulb and poem. “Families enjoyed the activities and the opportunity to talk and be together,” said EACH Child and Family Worker Rachel Cowles. “Baby loss is something many of us will have in common, whether from personal experience or through families, friends or colleagues.” The gathering took place on Sunday, 8^th October and the 21^st annual Baby Loss Awareness Week began the following day, running until Sunday, 15^th October. On the latter date, families had the chance to attend a virtual Wave of Light candlelit ceremony, tying in with the global Wave of Light. The tri-site event was led by EACH Spiritual Care Lead Emma Scott and also open to families from Milton and The Treehouse, in Ipswich. “This honours babies who died during pregnancy, childbirth or infancy,” added Rachel. “It serves as a global moment of remembrance for families and individuals who have experienced the loss of a child. “Families across the world unite together by lighting a candle and leaving it burning for at least an hour to remember all babies that have died too soon.” Image credit – EACH