Lincolnshire’s hospitals are taking part in Baby Loss Awareness Week to support parents and families who have suffered a miscarriage or stillbirth or whose baby has died around the time of birth.
This year, from Monday 8 October to Monday 15 October, baby loss awareness week will be marked with the distribution of butterfly badges which have been knitted or crocheted by volunteers and donated to the hospitals.
Everyone who visits a Lincolnshire hospital throughout the week will be encouraged to take a butterfly from the chapel and wear it with pride in support of the national initiative.
Every year, thousands of families in the UK are affected by the death of a baby or experience pregnancy loss. Baby Loss Awareness Week, supported by over 60 charities across the UK, raises awareness of the issues affecting those who have experienced baby loss, either directly or indirectly.
Anyone who visits the hospital chapels during the week will also be encouraged to pause and spend a moment to reflect and remember a baby who has died.
The Trust has been overwhelmed by the response to an appeal for crocheted butterflies from craft groups and individuals. Many of the donations have also been accompanied by very personal stories of how the loss of a baby had an impact on them personally.
Pamela Beattie, Hospital Chaplain, said, “We put out a call a while ago for people to crochet butterflies to commemorate baby loss and the response was overwhelming – thank you to everyone who has supported this.”