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Advocacy & Awareness Why is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Necessary? In 1988, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed October as Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month throughout the United States. Pregnancy and infant losses occur more often than anyone wants to believe... Every year close to 1 million families will experience pregnany and infant loss. Approximately 15-25% of all known or documented pregnancies will end in early loss or miscarriage. But, it is estimated that the actual number may be as high as 50% of all conceptions will end in early loss or misscarriage. So, by the numbers alone it is probable that someone you know has been part of this family tragedy. If you have not experienced this yourself you may be one of the many that has viewed it as a non-event, or minor. Not everyone may understand the emotional investement parents and family members put into their unborn children, in many cases even before the child is conceived. The hopes, dreams, plans, love and anticipation are real, even if the child has yet to be seen... Families who are enduring this loss need sensitive caregivers, understanding friends, and supportive family members. Therefore awareness, education, and advocacy are extremely important. A supportive environment can make all the difference in how parents and family members incorporate this loss, their precious child, into their lives in a healthy manner. Every life is special and every life should be remembered...even the smallest. -Lesley October 2005/October 15th, 2005 In honor of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month/Day we held the last bake sale of our 'Pilot Program' at our local hospital of employment. We enjoyed spending the day selling donated baked goods and handing out complimentary support ribbons to all! We sold every crumb of food and received many donations in support of our program. On display was Cailins Memory Box, Cailins Early Pregnancy Loss Packet, and demonstrations of how to assemble both as well as our book of demonstration bereavement photography. In honor of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month/Day we held the last bake sale of our 'Pilot Program' at our local hospital of employment. We enjoyed spending the day selling donated baked goods and handing out complimentary support ribbons to all! We sold every crumb of food and received many donations in support of our program. On display was Cailins Memory Box, Cailins Early Pregnancy Loss Packet, and demonstrations of how to assemble both as well as our book of demonstration bereavement photography.~It was a wonderful feeling to be able to simultaneaously raise awareness and advocacy, and then in turn donate all the monies to our 'Pilot Program' in memory of all babies lost at our home hospital~ February 1, 2006 Just in time for our Cailin's 3rd birthday we have received permission from our home-base hospital (Albany Medical Center Hospital) to hold regular fundraisers/bake sales. We will simultaneously raise funds and Awareness. We will be selling our ever popular baked goods and Advocacy items; these include Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness pins (PAILS), flower bulbs to plant in remembrance, and support/remembrance bracelets. We will hold our first sale sometime in March--be on the lookout for pictures! Just in time for our Cailin's 3rd birthday we have received permission from our home-base hospital (Albany Medical Center Hospital) to hold regular fundraisers/bake sales. We will simultaneously raise funds and Awareness. We will be selling our ever popular baked goods and Advocacy items; these include Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness pins (PAILS), flower bulbs to plant in remembrance, and support/remembrance bracelets. We will hold our first sale sometime in March--be on the lookout for pictures!Please visit Cailin's Gifts (go to the home page and it is second from bottom on the list of pages) so you too can raise the awareness!!! Click below to see our newest fundraiser! March 10, 2006 Our first official fundraiser/bake-sale was a huge success! We were able to raise the funds needed to get our program underway as well a raise a large amount of awareness. Some people remembered us from our other 2 bake sales, or from press they had read or seen--always an ego booster! But, we are always amazed and thankful when a bereaved family shares their stories...some very recent and some from long ago...we love to hear about everybody's babies... Our first official fundraiser/bake-sale was a huge success! We were able to raise the funds needed to get our program underway as well a raise a large amount of awareness. Some people remembered us from our other 2 bake sales, or from press they had read or seen--always an ego booster! But, we are always amazed and thankful when a bereaved family shares their stories...some very recent and some from long ago...we love to hear about everybody's babies...May & June 2006 Our next 2 fundraiser/bake-sales are an even bigger success! We sell out of almost every baked good at our sales, which always makes us very happy...but, more importantly we are now gaining a reputation within our home-based hospital & people remember who we are and what we do. For me the biggest accomplishment happens when we hear from many people their stories of loss; that they can openly talk about their babies' with us and to people around us means we have been making great stides in the area of advocacy!! ~Thanks to all of you who have shared your stories with us~ Our next 2 fundraiser/bake-sales are an even bigger success! We sell out of almost every baked good at our sales, which always makes us very happy...but, more importantly we are now gaining a reputation within our home-based hospital & people remember who we are and what we do. For me the biggest accomplishment happens when we hear from many people their stories of loss; that they can openly talk about their babies' with us and to people around us means we have been making great stides in the area of advocacy!! ~Thanks to all of you who have shared your stories with us~ |
