h1>Baby Loss Awareness Week and the Global Wave of Light
This year’s Baby Loss Awareness Week culminates on Saturday 15th October when a global Wave of Light will commence at 7pm.
Now in its 20th year, the annual week-long campaign aims to bring together anyone and everyone within the baby loss community. It provides a global platform to raise awareness of the impact of pregnancy and baby loss and enables a commemoration focal point for affected families.
In many cultures and societies across the world, miscarriage and stillbirth are still taboo subjects, and many women and men feel that those who should be there to support them, from family to community and the health care system, simply aren’t.
Supporting bereaved parents
The UK’s inaugural Baby Loss Awareness Day occurred on 15 October 2002 and was inspired by the US Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.
Launched by a group of parents, the campaign sold handmade blue and pink ribbons and made several thousand pounds that was sent to support groups helping those affected by pregnancy and baby loss.
By 2004, the baby loss awareness movement involved five organisations including Sands, the Miscarriage Association, the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust, Antenatal Results and Choices (ARC), and Babyloss.com.
Now, in 2022, Sands, a prominent UK pregnancy and baby loss charity, takes a lead role in the awareness programme, which aims not only to provide a platform for discussion, sharing and community but also to work with groups and charities involved in preventing pregnancy loss, baby and infant deaths and maternal deaths.
The Baby Loss Awareness Alliance Working Group currently includes Sands, Bliss, The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust, The Lullaby Trust, the Miscarriage Association and Tommy’s and boasts an army of members and supporters who promote the campaign amongst their own members and users.
Three key aims
The three key aims of Baby Loss Awareness Week are:
- Remembrance
- Raising Awareness
- Driving change
Anyone affected by pregnancy and baby loss can share their story on the Baby Loss Awareness Week website and there are lots of resources for people who need support and those who want to get involved with the campaign.
And from 7pm until 8pm on Saturday 15 October, candles will be lit around the world as an act of remembrance for all babies who have died too soon. Join the Wave of Light and help break the silence.
