The words ‘I had a miscarriage’, ‘My baby was stillborn’, ‘My baby died’ are often followed by silence. Saying those words out loud can be hard, and not knowing how to respond can also be difficult. However, pregnancy and infant loss is so much more common than we may think.
Every day in Australia, six babies are stillborn, three babies die before their first birthday, and a miscarriage occurs every 3.5 minutes. On average, one in four pregnancies end in loss.
Choosing Hope, held on 15 October, is a walk of honour and remembrance in support of bereaved families. After experiencing the loss of a baby, there is often an overwhelming feeling of isolation. An event like Choosing Hope shows that we are not alone in our grief, and we are not alone in our loss; there is a much larger community of bereaved families out there who have also gone through a similar experience.
Choosing Hope is a place of connection. It’s a place of reflection. And it’s a place to acknowledge, honour and remember those babies forever in our hearts. This event takes place on Sunday 15 October, which is National Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day. October is also International Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month.
This year, Bears of Hope are hosting our Choosing Hope Walk at John Knight Memorial Park. It is a group walk followed by a beautiful remembrance service where we acknowledge those babies gone too soon, by saying their names out loud and placing a remembrance card in their honour.
This event is also a support and fundraising initiative for Bears Of Hope Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support, who provide early and ongoing support to families who experience the loss of their baby during pregnancy or infancy.
Join us for this event on Sunday 15 October. Pre-sale tickets are available at www.choosinghope.com.au until midnight 8 October. On the day, ticket sales open from 12.30pm at John Knight Memorial Park. Event walk starts at 1.30pm.
For more information about Choosing Hope, please visit choosinghope.com.au or contact [email protected]
