Angel Ball: Past & Present - Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss ...nationalshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Sharing-Magazine-May-2017.pdfpated, yet are so significant to their healing

MAGAZINE

Angel Ball: Past & Present15 Years of Fundraising & Commemorating

What We KeepIn Our HeartsA mother's loss with

help from Share

Mother's Day:What do I do?Remembering your child on this special day

ChasingRainbows A family's journey through the storms of loss

Established 1987May 2017 - Volume 26, Issue 3

40 Years oftouching liveshealing heartsgiving hope

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4 Dear Friends A letter from Debbie Cochran, Executive Director.

5 Mom's Bracelet Night Share hosts a bracelet making event for bereaved mothers and grandmothers.

6 Angel Ball: Past & Present A review of 15 years of fundraising and commemorating.

8 What We Keep In Our Hearts JoAnn Cantrell recounts her experience with Share after the loss of her twin boys.

10 Our Rainbow Jean Mecke shares about the expected birth of their Rainbow Baby.

12 Mother's Day Momentos Special gifts for bereaved moms to honor their baby on this difficult day.

13 Mother's Day: What Do I Do? A list of ideas on how to spend your Mother's Day.

14 Chasing Rainbows A family's journey chasing rainbows through the storms of loss. 16 Thank You for Your Gifts Gifts 'In Memory of' and 'In Tribute to'

19 Memories of Share Share Chapter leaders describe why they started a chapter in their area.

20 Sharing Magazine ONLINE Coming Soon! Sharing Magazine is migrating to an online platform. Your favorite magazine available 24/7.

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Sharing Magazine - January/Febuary 2017 | 3

MAGAZINE

Dear Friends,AHHHHH! Spring has definitely sprung!

The air is warm, flowers are blooming, and signs of new life are all around us. For most, these are beautiful reminders of the season. For those who have suffered the loss of a baby, these can be painful reminders that the new precious life they were expecting is gone from them, way too soon. At Share, we strive to stay tuned in to those things that may at times seem to magnify feelings of loss and walk alongside families, support-ing them through the journey.

In this season, we also acknowledge those special days set aside to honor par-enthood—Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. These are days that can be especially hard for mothers and fathers who do not have their little ones to hold and celebrate with. We want to help families experience their role as parents in ways that may now be drastically different than they had antici-pated, yet are so significant to their healing and hope for their future.

Recently, we celebrated what has be-come an annual event designed to help be-reaved mothers create a special bracelet as a mementos during Mother’s Day season in honor of their baby. It is lovely to see mothers, grandmothers, sisters and friends gather as women supporting one another through grief and remembrance. Many of our chapters throughout the country have created similar events and opportunities as ways to assure grieving parents are recog-

nized, cared for and honored as mothers and fathers even if they are not physically holding and parenting their child. We in-vite you to share with us things you have done or that others have done for you to honor you as a parent. In this way we can be helpful to one another as a community of support.

As we proceed through this important year of celebrating 40 years of Share, we have been enjoying the reflections that have been shared with us from families who have been served by Share through the years. In the basement of the National Share of-fice, there are some treasured items that belonged to Sr. Jane Marie Lamb as she began her work establishing Share. To the outward observer, it doesn’t appear to have value, but to us, the pages of her meticulous handwritten notes (before computers) give us a glimpse of her devotion to every detail designed to offer the best care to grieving parents. We consider it a privilege to carry her mission forward.

Our upcoming Angel Ball, scheduled for May 20th this year, offers another way to honor our legacy and serves for many parents as a reunion with Share staff and families they have shared experiences with. This year, we are honored to have as our guests Sr. Jamesine and Sr. Evelyn, who are biological sisters of Sr. Jane Marie Lamb. They are looking forward to this event to honor their sister and the legacy of

caring she created.While we celebrate our heritage and his-

tory of caring, we do so by continuing to abide by a mantra Sr. Jane established in “listening to the voices of our parents” as the most reliable guide to continuing to im-prove our care and support. As wise as Sr. Jane was, I doubt she could have predicted the vast and rapid changes in technology af-fecting the way people in 2017 are accessing information. This reality has directed us to transform some of our resources into online formats our families can not only access but interact with. One such change is this very newsletter you are reading. Beginning with our next issue, July/August 2017, our Sharing Magazine will be published in an online format. We are hoping this change will allow more opportunity for the helpful information provided to be easily accessed by families and caregivers.

We welcome you into our community of support regardless of where you are in your journey of healing. One of the things we have learned over the years in serving fami-lies is the continued feeling of isolation that often accompanies loss. We have been told that “Share offers a safe place to grieve and people to grieve with." We are so honored to uphold that legacy and consider it our extreme honor to serve our families and witness the beautiful journey of healing. As a part of our Share family, we continue to keep you in our hearts, even if we have

not yet met you.

Jackie Arnold

Support Group Facilitator

Samantha Brown

PR & Marketing

Coordinator

Patti Budnik

Bereavement Care

Manager

Rose Carlson

Program Director

Anne Horton

Share Chapter Coordinator

Sherril Jones

Administrative Assistant

Vicki Kiefer

Accounting Manager

Sarah Lawrenz

Development Director

Shannon Sebastian

Development & Event

Assistant

Jennifer Stachula

Training & Resource

Assistant

Debbie Cochran, RNExecutive Director

Blessings,

4 | Sharing Magazine - January/Febuary 2017

In remembrance of babies who are gone too soon & celebration of your motherhood.

Mom's Bracelet Night


15 Years of Fundraising & Commemorating

In 2002, Share’s board of directors made

the decision to move away from small

fundraising events in favor of a larger event.

Share’s 25th anniversary was in 2002 and a

gala was planned as a one-time event to celebrate this milestone. After the success

of the first Angel Ball, it became a beloved yearly event. It raises program funds and

has evolved into a meaningful way to honor Share ambassadors, volunteers, caregivers

and community partners.

Angel Ball

Captions: Top Left: Author, Richard Paul Evans, signing books at the Angel Ball Meet & Greet. Top Center: Wine pull at 2012 Angel Ball. Top Right: Beautiful tablescapes at the 2012 Angel Ball "A Night in Tuscany" Second Row Left: FOX2 News Anchor, Mandy Murphey, hosts the 2012 Angel Ball. Second Row Right: Tereasa Brassfield and Melanie Schwob enjoy a lovely night at Angel Ball. Third Row Left: Glowing tablescapes at the 2016 Angel Ball "Let It Glow" Third Row Center: The Pliske Family enjoys an evening supporting Share at the 2016 Angel Ball. Third Row Right: Tables of silent auction items set to raise money for Share. Bottom Left: Former Executive Director, Cathi Lammert, and current Executive Direc-tor, Debbie Cochran, pose for a photo together. Bottom Right: Share Ambassador, Karen Zerr, spends the evening with her daughter, Jennifer Chowning.



It was a cold day in April when our infant twin boys arrived too soon, after I had carried them nearly six months. Ironically, it was the same time of year that the crocuses were making their comeback after a harsh winter. Like the flowers, my babies were early in blooming, yet they lacked the strength to survive.

A contradiction, I thought -- how insensitive of the flowers to scream "life," trumpeting the arrival of spring while everything surrounding me portrayed

"death." It seemed a defiant mockery of the sorrow and grief that consumed me. How I wished that all the flowers had closed up and died that season, just the way that I did.

My husband and I buried our babies, Kevin and Art, together in a tiny coffin in a cemetery near our home in the rural town of Altoona, Pennsylvania, two days after their birth. It also happened to be our wedding anniversary, a day intended for celebration rather than sorrow. I clearly

remember my heart feeling as frozen as the snow-cove red ground.

Even the undertaker wept as he placed their coffin near the grave, and I felt that they might as well have buried me too. My emotions were on a wild roller coaster after the unexpected labor and delivery of our twins, followed by their death and making

arrangements for a funeral and burial. I left the hospital with a memory booklet containing imprints of their tiny feet and the only photographs of Kevin and Art that were taken minutes after their birth, laying side by side, dressed only in the hospital-issued infant T-shirts.

In the following weeks, Mother’s Day was erased from the calendar that year though Kevin and Art were our fourth and fifth children. Well-meaning relatives and friends attempted consolation with the inappropriate reminder that at least we had three others, but that failed as recompense.

For the longest time after, the photos of our babies remained in the keepsake book, tucked in a box and placed in a closet. Each time I took it out, I was told to put the photos away because they were too sad and too difficult to look at. Advice was often to “move on and forget.”

Instead, I held my sons in my heart and I never forgot.

The worst part of the grieving was that people felt uncomfortable with the loss. It was confusing to acknowledge a birth while expressing sympathy over a death. My grief was expected to be temporary, being there was

What We Keep In Our HeartsBy: JoAnn Cantrell


never time to really know the babies and support was hard to find.

My infant sons were born in 1990. Had it not been for the sympathetic staff at Altoona Hospital who pointed me in the direction of a local organization then-known as Share, a Source of Help in Airing and Resolving Experiences, I don’t know how I would have managed my grief.

I was fortunate to find support through a compassionate and understanding woman who was the Share coordinator as she offered the comfort so desperately needed. She encouraged me to attend a meeting with others who suffered the loss of a baby, knowing that we would be connected with the same heartache.

The mothers, fathers and family members who attended the monthly Share meetings knew the feelings of emptiness from being unjustly robbed of a son or daughter who only came to be for a brief time. Together we bonded by “sharing” our stories and the meetings became a time when grieving families received the comfort they sought. It was encouraged to talk about the experience of losing an infant with people who understood and the compassion was endless, providing hope that was thought lost.

Though the support I received with Share, I learned that although time is supposed to be the healer of all wounds, there are some things you just never quite get over. The question: "How many children do you have?" resounds through a lifetime and will always be answered with hesitation. Mother's Day, our wedding anniversary and the annual return of the crocuses continue to bring bittersweet memories, and I know I will always feel the void of two people missing from my family.

It is hard to believe that today my twin sons Kevin and Art would be 27-year-old grown men. As the cycle of life continues, I am encouraged to know that the stigma of infant loss is no longer considered a silent sorrow.

I never forgot what a valuable resource the Share organization was for me in my time of need.Having come so far in my grief

journey, I wanted to give back with support and help newly bereaved mothers, just the way that others did for me.

I recently donated my wedding gown to a group in Pittsburgh that takes the material and remakes Angel Gowns for infant burials. Thinking back to the photographs of Kevin and Art in their hospital T-shirts, I initially thought it would be another heart-wrenching reminder of my loss. Yet seeing the Angel Gowns replaced the bittersweet memories with feelings of gratitude for the group Share that was there for me so long ago.

A reminder that hope springs eternal and that I, too, can be defined as the crocuses -- capable of surviving the harshest conditions.

Joann Cantrell lost her infant twin sons, Kevin and Art on April 2, 1990 shortly after their birth at Altoona Hospital, Altoona, Pennsylvania. At the time, the most valuable resource was the support and understanding of the group Share (known then as a Source of Help in Airing and Resolving Experiences). With the need ever-present to help women cope with the loss of a newborn, it is the author's intent to give back and provide a resource of comfort, just as the Share organization did for her more than 26 years ago.


On this day, a year ago, my heart was shattered. I was told I needed immediate surgery because I had lost the precious babies I had been carrying for almost a full trimester. Those babies were wanted, and they were loved. It's amazing how much of a bond can be formed in just a few short weeks of knowing.

After months of struggling through people's comments;

"Don't worry, you can have another."- But what if I can't?"How long will it take you to get over this?"- Will I ever? Who even asks that?"Well, what do you think happened?"- How the hell should I know?

Even though we suffer through the seemingly rude and insensitive questions, we had to realize that people who haven't been through it really just don't know. They don't know what to say, and there really isn't anything they CAN say. Nothing helps.

A few months after the loss, I got the go-ahead from the doctor that it was okay to start 'trying' again. "If you're ready," he said. How do I know if I'm ready? Should I feel healed? I still feel the same. Angry. Sad. Broken. What if it happens again? I don't think I can handle another horrible loss. The pain, emotional and physical. The questions I had didn't have answers. He said "you just take a chance."

So, we took a chance. A few months later, we got a positive pregnancy test. I wasn't overcome with immediate joy, though. I was overcome with fear. I told myself to not get excited. I had to hold back my excitement, because there was no way I could possibly handle the pain of another loss. I went to the doctor to confirm pregnancy- only 4 weeks along. So early, no heartbeat. He assured me it was too early and we could try again in a few weeks. Those weeks were SO LONG. We got a heartbeat at 6 weeks, though! Now, I could feel a little bit happy.

But we weren't telling anyone. Not one person. We live in such a close community, we couldn't imagine going through another

Our RainbowBy: Jean Mecke


publicly known loss. These people we are surrounded by are so genuine, and they truly care. They hug (a lot), they empathize, they ask what they can do, they bring dinners. We have families that were devastated by the loss just as much as we were. They cried with us on the phone. They felt the pain. We will wait. We will tell them when it's "safe."

After going to the doctor almost weekly, we made it to 13 weeks! A strong heartbeat, a growing baby! Still, I held back excitement. We told our daughter that we were going to have a baby, and we told our photographer that was going to take our Christmas photos with the reveal to our families and friends. It's a hard secret to keep!

When our families and friends got their Christmas cards and discovered that we were having a baby, they were all so shocked to hear! We were almost halfway through the pregnancy when everyone found out, and some

were so confused as to why we didn't tell anyone. Not even our Moms and Dads!

We were starting to get excited about the new addition, but I still wouldn't buy anything. Not a onesie, nothing. I didn't want jinx it until after we had the anatomy scan. Is this how the entire pregnancy was going to be? Non-stop paranoia? It's no fun. When we got our anatomy scan done, we found out the baby is a healthy girl! No problems with the baby, but preeclampsia had already set in with me.

Great. A complication.

With my first, I had preeclampsia, too. It put me in the hospital for a month. I can't be in the hospital for a month this time, I have a toddler to take care of!

Luckily, with the great care and help of my doctor (and amazing support of my husband), we have almost made it to the end of this pregnancy! It has been

a tough, exhausting. emotional road. I said the other day, "Ugh, nobody wants a pregnancy like this." Then, I quickly realized, who am I kidding? There are millions of women who would take a pregnancy like this. At least it's a healthy baby. At least we've come this far. At least we get what we wanted.

At least we get what we wanted.

That's what matters!

So, where am I a year after a devastating loss? Ready to deliver a new miracle.

Am I healed? No. I don't think it's something you ever get over. I will always wonder what happened, why it happened and who they would have been. But I will always be eternally grateful for the joy that came to us after the loss.

Our dear, sweet Rainbow Baby!

Jean with her husband, Charles, and their daughter, Annabell, joyfully

welcomed their daughter Ainsley Everette Mecke on May 8, 2017.


Mother's Day Momentos

These are special momentos given to honor the mothers of children who are gone too soon.

Top Left: I have a matching necklace and earring set with Harlan's birthstone which is also mine and his dad's birthstone. I got the grandmas bar necklaces with his name and birthstone. My cousin got me a little gold charm with an angel on it. GussieTop Right: My Mother's Day gift that includes our angel Leah and 2 rainbow babies. JackieCenter: Engraved gold bar necklace with citrine gemstone given to both grandmas for Christmas. GussieBottom Left: For our 1st Christmas without Conner, my husband, Kris, got me this Precious Moments figurine. CrystalBottom Right: Last mother's day I got a ring with all 4 kids names and birthstones. Some think it's odd that I still got Conner on it but he is and will always be my child. So why would I ever leave him off is my response to them.The names are on each side you can have up to 6 names and stones. Inside says, "A mother holds her child's heart forever." Crystal


Acknowledge the pain. You loved deeply, you also grieve deeply.

Visit a place of memory. If you plan to visit the cemetery, go early in the day, because you are normally more rested. If you have been holding onto your tears, a visit to the cemetery may let you release them.

Change your routine from years past. If you’ve normally had a family dinner at home, have a picnic, or perhaps go to a movie, one that is “up,” or perhaps visit friends.

Do something with your hands. Do some light yard work, plant flowers, water the lawn, make a craft or do another project.

Allow other children space to grieve. If you have surviving children, allow them some time and space. They feel sadness for you, but they are also dealing with their own grief.

Write. Write down the feelings associated with the special times.

Create a new ritual. Use candles, balloons, stories, religious ceremonies and/or gifts for others to honor your child.

Donate in memory of your child. Memorials, contributions, scholarships, donations, and/or flowers given in memory of your child are good ways to handle special days.

Plan some alone time. Save some time alone to read, walk, listen to music, etc.

Reach out to other family members and friends. Sharing these special and difficult days with those you love can ease the pain and isolation of your grief.

Share memories. Bring photos, scrapbooks and other mementos to share with family members.

Plan ahead. Don’t let the day just happen. Be intentional.

Author Unknown

Mother's Day What do I do?


One cannot explain why life takes us on such challenging journeys. For my husband and I, we had 11 miscarriages over a 7 year span. It seemed as though a storm cloud hung over us endlessly. We had always wanted children and struggled to understand why we kept having miscarriages. As life would have it, in August of 2002, I was pregnant for the 12th time, and there would be answers to our prayers, albeit, not the answers we expected. We met with a genetic counselor, and after some testing, determined the source of our storms. So in February 2003, light shone through and we had our first baby, Lillianna. She was born a two pound three ounce beautiful baby girl, and although she was only with us a short 5 and 1/2 hours, her birth changed our lives. In those few hours, she gave us all any parent needs: to hold her in our arms and feel her heart beat against our own, she branded her footprints on our hearts forever.

Lillianna helped us be discovered by Share, and a group connected to Share, had made Lillianna blankets, bracelets, and clothes. This group of "angels" as we called them, gave us the information about Share. At first

we weren't sure if we could open our hearts to others, and share our grief. The "angels" would send us letters throughout the first year after Lillianna's passing, and we would receive Share newsletters.

We are not the people we were before Lilly; we are much stronger because of her, Share and our "angels." It took my husband and I a year before we attended our first Share walk. The moment we stood in the huge crowd of people, we were overwhelmed, and for the first time in our lives we knew we were not alone in our pain. There is help when you need it, so we kept going. A few years after our first walk we got a memorial name brick at the Angel of Hope Memorial. Lillianna and

Share will be remembered always in our hearts. The love from this beautiful organization fills the holes left by loss in our hearts.

Two years and two miscarriages after Lillianna was born, the storms had lifted, the sun shined and with it, a rainbow. In 2005, Skylar was born, a healthy bouncing baby girl. So after a couple of years of enjoying parenthood I started to realize I was being selfish. As an only child myself I had always wanted siblings.

Chasing RainbowsBy: Angie Wetherell


So my husband and I took a giant leap of faith and tried again. Two more miscarriages later we were done chasing rainbows; I was pregnant for the 18th and final time. For better or worse this was going to be our last pregnancy. Our hearts could not endure the storms any longer. Each new hope brought us up, but the losses brought us so far down.

As life would have it, this pregnancy would come with some surprising news we were not only going to give Skylar a little sister, we were also going to give her a little brother. Yes, we were having twins. In 2008, Gavin and Tavia were added to our happy home.

Our journey went through many storm clouds, with only a little sunshine and a few beautiful rainbows. We couldn't feel more love in our hearts for all of our angel babies and our rainbows. We will forever have footprints on our hearts.

A few years ago, I entered Mother Earth Pillows shop, full of natural solutions to what ails you. Immediately impressed with this amazing aroma in the air, I had to inquire about their products. The assistant told me each pillow had a different herbal blend. When I brought a heart pillow home, it occurred to me, if I had been given a pillow like this postpartum, it would have given me comfort in my darkest of times as something to hold and aromatherapy to lift my senses. Hopefully, Mother Earth Pillows products bring someone you love, comfort and relief.

Mother Earth Designs, Inc was founded in 1995 in Arnold, MO by Karen Kowal, a Registered Nurse and Nationally Certified Massage Therapist. Karen was actively involved for 30 years in the field of nursing, then

became a Massage Therapist in 1994. She had searched for natural products for her own use after dealing with personal chronic pain. As her practice grew after 1994, she began creating and developing more product designs

for her clients, family and friends.

Mother Earth Pillows have been used by bereaved families as natural comfort for emotional pain. Learn more about Mother Earth Pillows at www.motherearthpillows.com.


Andrew D'Auria By: Raymond D'Auria

Andy Thornhill By: Karen Zerr

Angel O'Minee Elliott By: Taryn Foster

Anna Arb, Jackson Arb, Walter Arb By: Mark Beck By: Lyn Castellano By: Mark Labarge

Baby Sitarski By: Andrew Gnade

Baby Westerman By: Jessica Tyler

Caroline Stachula By: Karen Zerr

Carter John Kintz By: Mary Kintz "Forever in our hearts. Love and miss you everyday. Nana and Grandpapa" By: Candice Hertlein

Coleman Christopher Urzi By: Tracy Rembusch "Gone but never forgotten. Happy 6th Birthday, Coleman! Lots of Love,Pat, Tracy and Jordyn"

Debbie, Mike, and Juniper Lee Bennett By: Laura Mahajan "In honor of all of you, and all mothers and parents everywhere this Mother's Day, especially those who have experienced loss. We love you and are thinking of you. ~Laura&Akshay"

Donovan Mielke By: Dana L. Thul Emilia June Tanis By: Andrew Tanis

Eowyn Gracelynn Tanamal By: Antonia Monareh Giuliana By: Nicole Gonzalez Hunter Charles Webb By: Betsy Webb Hunter Kraft By: Heather Preston Isabelle Francis LaFleur By: Daniel Lafleur Joshua Mirkay Redington By: Nicholas Mirkay

Mason Harris By: Jim & Lisa Hannon

McKinley Rose Patton By: Cherie Erickson My Lost Babies By: Rachel M. Berlin Orlando Powers By: Mary Ann Budrovich Patrick Quinn By: Tammy Quinn "Beautifully well done benefit last night. Thanks!"

Regan Maddy By: Cathie Maddy

Samuel Byers By: Betsy Webb Sending your family love and prayers as you celebrate the memory of your precious son this year. #SomethingForSamuel2017

Sarah Blanchard By: Ronnie & Linda Blanchard "In memory of our loving grand daughter."

Seth Allen Watson By: Heather Watson

Sol, Lula, & Tres Williams By: Megan Williams "I'm not sure how I would be coping with the loss of our 3 angels without your support & guidance. We are forever grateful for the Share Program."

Tess Welker By; Brian Welker

Our sweet baby By: Clifford & Katie Pietrucha "Since our baby cannot be with us on our wedding day, we wanted her to be as big a part as possible. In lieu of favors we wanted to donate in her honor."

In Memory Of... 16 | Sharing Magazine - January/Febuary 2017

In Tribute To:

Michelle Westerman and Danielle Krispin By: Katherine Walsh "Thank you for the concert to Benefit Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss Program" Miquelina Hagedorn By: Kathleen Hagedorn Katie Willerick Geri Grisham

Thank You for Your Gifts! Friends of ShareWayne AlexanderSharon AndersonRick and Beth AndrewsJessica BelobrajdicLisa BridgewaterPatti BudnikNicole CancellaroEmma CecchinLaura ChallenSusan CharestLaura CocatDebbie Cochran

Glenn CokerMike ColeJanine and Allan DeiermannDana DhomErin DoyleAmy DunbarTom and Marlene EvansHastings FamilyWarty FamilyMark FullerPatrick GanKathy GarazinCrystal GatewoodMark & Ronda & Jackson GelsthorpeJennifer HaakeColleen HilesBecky HinkelKathy HolmbergVicky and Dan HuesemannSarah HuffTangie JenkinsLeslie JohnsonChelsea & Arturas KalnenasDavid KieferVicki KieferLaura KlemmKristi KorbJamesine Lamb, OSFRob LangLiz & Don LarsenAngela LaurenceSarah LawrenzLisa LongJennifer MakaraMike Margherio

Jane MarschnerJaneese MartinMitch McCuistonMom and Dad McCuistonDiane McKillipRebecca MeisingerChristina and Justin MesserschmidtCheryl MoellenhoffJosie MoffittTammy OlsonMelissa Pero and FamilySusan PetzelMeaghan RettkeMegan RowekampLaura SamperLydia SchleichertChristie SchmukeShannon SebastianSharon SharpEmily SillThomas SimmonsJim ThiessJohn, Jenny, Brayden, and Olivia VukelichRenee VukelichMary WagenerBecky WagnerStephanie WallaceSandra WestermanAmanda Jo WhannEugene WibbenmeyerDan & Lauren WilliamsPeg & Joe WysockiLisa Zorn


The support I received from Share has had a lasting impact on our family. The people we have met through Share have empowered us to keep our little guy's memory alive and do things that include him in the lives of our living children. I don’t think we would have thought to do the things we do if not for Share, and we are eternally grateful. Brenda

I came to know of Share when we were going through the loss of our first son. I had never

heard of them before. They helped us through the loss of two babies, and we are forever

grateful for the memories we were able to bring home and look back on.

I chose to start a Share chapter because there were no local chapters where I live. I

wanted a way to honor my boys, and one thing that helped me get through my losses

was to be able to help others who were going through the pain of losing a baby.

The training was great! It was quite overwhelming at times, but I walked away with a

lot of helpful info, and I'm ready and excited now to get things rolling!

Amber

I learned of Share as a brand new RN, when I met Cathi Lammert coming to meet with a family at the loss of their 1st child and oldest son. I had the privilege to care for this mom and dad, as well as learn from Cathi. I wasn't a mom yet myself, but something drew me to learning more and making it my passion. I remember telling my dad (my mom had passed) about the organization and him commenting how there wasn't anything like that when my brother passed. I think that was when something clicked to make it my passion.

I started a group when I transferred hospitals in the system. They didn't really have anyone interested in 'heading it up," so I took it on. I then met a mom who lost her twins at the Share family picnic, we became friends as she was trying to get a group closer to home, but needed some assistance. So we quickly combined our efforts and our chapter took off. This is my true passion. I hug my own kids every chance I get, because I understand what a great gift they are.

Lisa

Why did you start a Share Chapter?Chapter Leaders reflect on their Share experiences.


Support?NEED

Share Chapterswww.nationalshare.org

Visit our website for a full list of Share Chapters by State, as well as a collection of additional resources.

Online Supportwww.facebook.com

Share offers several social communities in addition to Chapters and support groups.

SHARE BEREAVED FAMILIES PEER SUPPORT

Best serves those dealing with general bereavement

SHARE SUBSEQUENT PREGNANCY PEER SUPPORT

Best serves those who are currently pregnant or are planning to become pregnant following the death of a baby.

*Please note that these are closed groupsand membership must be approved by an administrator.

Resourceswww.nationalshare.org

Shop our online store for books, gifts, memorial keepsakes and more.

I was interested in stillbirth information. Since I work in Labor and Delivery. I felt we were not helping when the doctor said, "Don't let the family see the baby, it would be too traumatic." That didnt make sense to me. So, when I heard Sister Jane Marie was giving inservices, my hospital sent us. And so it came to be ongoing. I still work Labor and Deliver and have been a childbirth educator in my hospital for 40 years so the doctors give me a lot of leeway.

Pam

I learned of Share a few months after we lost our twin sons in 2007. It took me a while, but I finally found a Share Parents of Utah brochure in my bereavement folder that was provided by the hospital. My husband and I attended several support meetings, and later on I learned that although SPoU doesn't provide support to that particular hospital-they do provide bereavement materials. In 2014 I started to volunteer within the organization and now lead our group here!

Melannie

I came to know share after losing my first son when I was 38 weeks pregnant in 2013. I had never imagined that when I went to the hospital to check on him due to no movement, that they would tell me there was no heart beat. I honestly didn't know a thing about stillbirth, and it was the last thing I expected them to tell me.

Share was there for me, from that day in the hospital and through today. I also chose to start a chapter because there were none in my community. I want to help others like share helped me. I am so thankful for everything they have done for me and my family.

Heather

Share Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support, Inc | 402 Jackson Street, Saint Charles, MO 63301636.947.6164 | [email protected] | www.nationalshare.org

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resources.

COMING SOON...

ONLINEMAGAZINE

Now & ThenSharing Magazine has been published by Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support, Inc since 1987. This year, Sharing Magazine got a new look and will continue to evolve into an online magazine. The print version of Sharing Magazine will be published twice each year, but you can always find current content on our website (www.nationalshare.org/sharing-magazine). If you would like to reprint articles/submissions from Sharing please properly cite Share and the writer by stating the name of the organization, website, magazine, volume, issue, and author in your acknowledgements. If you would like to reprint an article/ submission that is copyrighted by an author or a publishing company, you must obtain permission from the copyright holder to reprint. Please contact Samantha Brown ([email protected]) or Rose Carlson ([email protected]) with any questions.

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Angel Ball: Past & Present - Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss ...nationalshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Sharing-Magazine-May-2017.pdfpated, yet are so significant to their healing