A REDDITCH campaigner is encouraging people and businesses to be part of Baby Loss Awareness Week.
The week is an opportunity to raise awareness of the impact of pregnancy and baby loss and the importance that bereavement support plays in the ongoing bereavement journey.
Businesses are invited to light up their buildings in pink and blue and decorate their windows to match.
Kirsty Southwell, from Church Hill, has been raising awareness for impact of bereavement after her son Finley was stillborn.
She said: “I hope that local businesses will light up pink and blue will spark conversations about baby loss and give local bereaved parents and families an opportunity to talk about their precious babies.”
“I lost my son Finley 6 years ago when I went for a routine midwife appointment. My midwife said ‘I’m sorry there’s no heartbeat’.
“My world collapsed in the moment I thought I was watching a programme on TV.
“It’s a heartbreaking journey but we’ve made lots of friends who have lost babies. It’s sad but it’s a lovely community for us angel families to talk to each other and share our angels as they still do exist.”
Anyone in Redditch or surrounding towns or villages can share their photos of their pink and blue lights on social media and include the hashtag #BLAW to reach as many people as possible.
Clea Harmer, chief executive of Sands and chair of the Baby Loss Awareness Alliance, said: “Last year, Baby Loss Awareness Week explored the steps that people take along their grief journey, and communities really engaged and resonated with that.
“It gave people the opportunity to explore their own experiences, learn from others and base their Baby Loss Awareness Week activities around that.”
“This year, we are exploring that theme again and we hope that, together, we can reassure anyone who finds themselves on their own grief journey, and we hope that events such as this can show that there are communities out there that exist to help, whatever step of your journey you are on.”
Visit www.babyloss-awareness.org for more information.
