On Saturday night, the High Level Bridge will shine purple, green and white while Edmonton families light candles to honour babies they’ve lost.
Oct. 15 is International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day.
“Around the world, families will be gathering to light candles,” Cheryl Salter-Roberts said, “in their homes or in public places to do it together.”
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For Salter-Roberts and her husband, this issue is deeply personal. Two of their children were stillborn and they lost six during pregnancy. They are also parents to four healthy – and now grown – children.
It was the loss of their fifth child – their third son – at birth that sparked the creation of H.E.A.R.T.S. (Helping Empty Arms Recover Through Sharing) Baby Loss Support Program.
“We needed a way to be able to explore this grief in a really healthy way but to be surrounded by community and especially by community who had themselves experienced baby loss.”
H.E.A.R.T.S. was created in 1996 and is now marking its 20th anniversary.
“The biggest piece is finding people who have been there so they can share their own personal journey,” Salter-Roberts said. “That creates support for new families who are going through this.”
At 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Capital Region families will gather under the High Level Bridge in Kinsmen Park for the candle-lighting event.
“Everyone lighting candles around the world – a wave of light.”
Bereaved parents are invited to join the group in person or participate at home and share candlelight photos on H.E.A.R.T.S.’ Facebook page. Last year, Salter-Roberts was overwhelmed with the number of personal photos shared.
“They just kept coming,” she said. “It was amazing to see how many families participated but also how they chose to participate. It became quite unique.”
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Salter-Roberts just wants other families grieving a loss to know they have a community ready to support them.
“One of the biggest hurdles is families feeling that they might want to come to a meeting or connect with someone and that their emotions will get in the way,” she explained.
“We always say that tears are healthy, tears are happy, tears are a recognition of the love for our little ones that we’ve lost. So reach out.”
“To reach out is the first step.”
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