Bradford Teaching Hospitals is marking Baby Loss Awareness Week (9-15 Oct) with several special events and initiatives.
The annual campaign provides an opportunity to remember much-loved and missed babies.
Bereavement Support Midwife, Julie Key, said:
Baby Loss Awareness Week encourages us to openly recognise baby loss and acknowledge its impact on so many families. “It’s a special time for all parents, families and anyone involved in caring for them to come together in remembrance of all the precious babies who have left us too soon.
We hope our events will bring some comfort to all those who have been bereaved, by offering opportunities to remember and reflect.
Maternity’s parent education and bereavement teams, which are based at Bradford Royal Infirmary (BRI), will be hosting an awareness stall in the hospital and in the district to raise awareness of baby loss.
On 10 October, the teams will be on a staff at the Broadway Shopping Centre, central Bradford, from 10am-2pm.
On 11 October, they will host a stall from 10am-2pm on BRI’s main retail concourse followed by a walk-round around our maternity areas by the teams.
On 15 October, the City Hall will be illuminated in a “wave of light” in City Park to remember all those babies lost too soon. Bereaved families are also being invited to join together in front of City Hall and hold their own small LED candles in a moment of remembrance and reflection.
These events are being run by maternity’s bereavement team who will be joined by other external support groups, such as SANDS, the Miscarriage Association, the Aching Arms charity and the Trust’s Sparc team, the Forget Me Not Hospice, Child Bereavement UK and Bradford Bereavement Support.
Specialist Midwife and Women’s Service Bereavement Lead at the Trust, Iram Shazadi, and the midwifery bereavement team will highlight their roles in providing support to all at these events.
Julie continued:
We are also here to support women, their partners and families and the staff at this most difficult of time.
It’s important for all bereaved families to feel supported, to be able to access the support available and to be able to share their experience openly with others.
We want to use Baby Loss Awareness Week to shine a light on the support that is available out there to remind people that they are not alone.
The Trust and other significant local landmarks like St George’s Hall and the Alhambra theatre will also be lit in blue and pink, which are the colours of Baby Loss Awareness Week.