Service for Baby Loss Awareness Week

NHS Orkney will once again be hosting a service as part of Baby Loss Awareness Week.

Baby Loss Awareness Week runs from the 9th – 15th October and is now in its 21st year. The awareness week is an opportunity for everyone in the baby loss community and beyond to come together to remember and commemorate our much loved and missed babies.

The week also provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the impact of pregnancy and baby loss. As well as the importance that bereavement support plays in the ongoing bereavement journey and of the vital work that is needed to improve pregnancy outcomes and to save babies’ lives. 

The service will take place on Sunday, 15th October at the Kings Street Halls, Kirkwall. The doors open at 6pm with the service starting at 6.30pm.

Melissa Lindsay, Midwife and Sonographer at NHS Orkney said: “We hope that by holding this service it will spark conversations about baby loss and give local bereaved parents and families an opportunity to talk about their precious babies.”

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 our remembrance service can show that there are communities out there that exist to help, whatever step of your journey you are on.”

The awareness week is recognised across the world and culminates with the “Wave of Light” on 15th October. This is a special time when people across the world light a candle at 7pm and leave it burning to remember all babies that have died too soon. We’re encouraging everyone to get involved with the “Wave of Light” and we’ll be lighting our own candles at the service.

We realise that some people may not be able to attend the service in person, for those who can't make it, the event will be livestreamed on Sunday. To join, simply click on this link live - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMA1QksJCmQ  at 6.30pm on Sunday 15 October.

In addition, we encourage everyone who would like to light a candle in memory of babies lost, to do so at 7pm on Sunday.