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Pregnancy Loss Support

If you've experienced the loss of a baby, we can help.

The Footprints on the Heart Program at Sisters Hospital helps families deal with the loss of a baby caused by miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, and newborn death. Grieving has no set time frame and varies from person to person. Take the time that is right for you. To help you cope, we provide a variety of support resources, listed below.

Telephone / Email Support

Telephone or email support is provided by Fran Kane, RN, BSN, a bereavement nurse with over 23 years of labor and delivery experience and over 11 years of experience in working with bereaved couples. When you speak to Fran, she will:

• Discuss with you the issues surrounding the loss of a baby
• Find ways to help you cope with your feelings of loss
• Teach you how you can memorialize your baby
• Help you to find others who can also help with your journey towards healing

Fran may be reached by phone at (716) 862-1678 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. You may also email Fran at fkane@chsbuffalo.org.

Bereavement Education

Bereavement information is given to each family before they leave the hospital. This information is specific to your situation and is tailored to the type of loss experienced.

A lending library with grief and loss materials is also a part of this program. Our books cover topics such as coping with grief and loss, rituals and ways to remember your baby, grief of fathers and grandparents, siblings' grief and pregnancy after a loss.

These books are available during support hours (Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) or by appointment.

The lending library is located at the Piver Center on the Sisters Hospital campus.

Newsletters

A bereavement newsletter, “Forget-Me-Not,” is available several times a year and includes information and resources, along with poems and stories written by grieving families and friends. Parents can read and share stories of their babies, find out about community events, and find local support groups and national websites to help in the mourning process.

The newsletter is delivered by mail to your home; a sign-up form is included in the bereavement information folder that you received at the hospital. You may also access the newsletter online at the Western New York Perinatal Bereavement Network website.

For more information, please contact Dawn Both-Kim at forgetmenotnewsletter@hotmail.com. 

Bereavement Memorial Events

January

A candlelight memorial service is an adults-only event held every January in the Sisters Hospital Chapel. The next memorial will be held on January 5, 2012 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Sisters Hospital Chapel.

Ornaments and a candle are given to couples as a token of our support, and readings and music are selected to honor, heal and remember precious babies gone too soon.

Invitations for this event are mailed to adults who have experienced a loss at Sisters Hospital and adults who have attended the Footprints on the Heart support groups within the past two to three years. Others are welcome to attend and should contact Fran Kane for more information at (716) 862-1678 or fkane@chsbuffalo.org. 

April, October

Mt. Olivet Cemetery Memorial Service

A memorial service is held in April and October at our memorial stone at Mt. Olivet Cemetery (4000 Elmwood Ave. Kenmore, NY).

This non-denominational service honors and recognizes all babies who have been miscarried or who have died within the past six months.

Readings and songs provide support and acknowledge that the baby is valued, respected and remembered. Reservations are not needed.

Parents will receive an invitation by mail 2-3 weeks before the memorial service takes place. Family and friends are welcome to attend.

Individuals who have not received an invitation but wish to attend should contact Fran Kane at (716) 862-1678 or fkane@chsbuffalo.org.

Walk to Remember

An annual Walk to Remember in October is a short walk that allows parents to come together to walk in memory of their beloved babies. The event is hosted by the Western New York Perinatal Bereavement Network and includes a tree planting, balloon release, and songs and readings.

For more information, please contact Christine Scott, Director of the Western New York Perinatal Bereavement Network, at (716) 626-6363.

Other Events

Other events by the Western New York Perinatal Bereavement Network include an Evening to Remember and a Parents Day Brunch to recognize those who have experienced a loss. For more information, please contact Christine Scott, Director of the Western New York Perinatal Bereavement Network, at (716) 626-6363.

Support Groups

Monthly support groups are offered to assist families while they mourn the loss of their baby. Led by a professional nurse, these groups can help grieving parents learn how to best remember their babies and understand the natural emotional reactions to loss.

By attending a support group, you will receive additional support from others who have experienced the loss of a baby, learn ways to cope and heal, and deal with the normal grieving emotions that are present after a perinatal loss and then fears during subsequent pregnancy.

The group that is right for you will depend on the type of loss you have experienced.

Footprints on the Heart

A group for parents and grandparents who have experienced the loss of a baby through stillbirth (20 weeks onwards) or early infant death.

You are welcome to share your story, ask questions of other bereaved parents, and seek support/advise but also note that much is gained from just attending the group. No one will pressure you to talk. Just listening can be very helpful.

If there are family members who want to attend a group session, be aware that they meet in a separate room. Please call to let Fran know so that arrangements for another facilitator can be made.

This group meets at Life Transition Center (150 Bennett Rd. Cheektowaga, NY) on the fourth Wednesday of the month, with a few exceptions, noted in the calendar below.

Heart to Heart

A group for parents who have experienced the loss of a baby through miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. This group meets at The M. Steven Piver Center for Women's Health and Wellness (2157 Main Street, Buffalo) on the first Thursday of each month from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Hopeful Hearts

A group for parents who are pregnant again after a previous pregnancy loss. This group meets at The M. Steven Piver Center for Women's Health and Wellness (2157 Main Street, Buffalo) on the second Thursday of each month from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

There is no charge to attend any of these meetings and reservations are not required. However, advance knowledge of your attendance is appreciated so you can be welcomed properly. If you will be attending, please contact Fran Kane at (716) 862-1678 or fkane@chsbuffalo.org.

Upcoming Events

For more information about an event, click on the event title.

Online Resources

Star Legacy Foundation

The Star Legacy Foundation is a community of parents, families, and friends of stillborn babies who are dedicated to reducing the number of families that endure the loss of a child.

MISS Foundation

The MISS Foundation provides support to families after the death of a child. It offers support groups, a bi-monthly newsletter, forums and more.

Miscarriage and Pregnancy Loss

Facts about Miscarriage is a blog that discusses miscarriage and recovery.

Make a Donation

Our program is made possible by The Stevens Bereavement Fund. Gifts made to the fund are a living memorial in honor of the loss of a beloved baby. Please consider making a donation to assist other grieving families at the time of their loss.

More Information

For more information about our pregnancy loss support services, please call Fran at (716) 862-1678 or e-mail fkane@chsbuffalo.org. Support will be provided to meet you and your family’s particular needs. You are not alone during this time and we would like to support you in any way we can.