Service to be held at the SWAH for bereaved parents - The Fermanagh Herald

By Annie Flynn

Service to be held at the SWAH for bereaved parents - The Fermanagh Herald

A special memorial service is set to be held at the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen to support local families who are mourning the passing of their baby or child.

As part of Baby Loss Awareness Week, the Western Health and Social Care Trust has organised the service to take place at the Lecture Theatre at the SWAH on Sunday, October 12.

It's hoped that the event will give bereaved parents and families the opportunity to remember their loved one, while also supporting other families who have lived through similar experiences.

Lead Midwife at the SWAH, Brenda McCabe, is also leading a four-mile walk around Enniskillen, with parents who attend the service invited to take part in the poignant activity.

Nikita Anderson, the Western Trust's Childbirth and Pregnancy Loss Specialist Midwife, feels it's important that families are giving support and help for their grief.

"Baby Loss Awareness Week offers families, communities and healthcare professionals a chance to remember babies who have sadly passed away during pregnancy or shortly after birth," she explained.

"It provides a safe and compassionate space for those impacted by baby loss to come together to honour their babies and share their grief."

"Baby Loss Awareness Week allows us to honour these precious lives that matter deeply and remind parents that they are never alone in their grief.

The care parents receive from their surrounding healthcare professionals can make such a difference when dealing with their grief and loss," added Ms Anderson.

Certificates

Meanwhile, a consultation around the roll-out of the much-anticipated Baby Loss Certificates in the North recently concluded.

Families and parents who have lost a child have welcomed the news that the Deaths, Still-Births and Baby Loss Bill was progressing through

Stormont, which would formally recognise their child.

As it stands, a baby that dies after 24 weeks is officially recorded as a stillbirth. Up until the latest announcement, there has been no legislation in place to recognise a baby lost before 24 weeks.

Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA, Jemma Dolan, has welcomed the news that the scheme is progressing.

"Losing a baby during pregnancy is heartbreaking," explained Ms Dolan.

"Acknowledging that can be hugely important for families and sends a clear message to parents that their love and grief is real, and they're not alone.

"This is not merely a bureaucratic change. It is a compassionate acknowledgment of the profound loss experienced by parent."

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