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Dear bereaved parents and those who support them,

If you are new to Bereaved Parents of Madison: welcome. We are glad you have found us and are so sorry you are here. We hope you find this newsletter helpful in some small way on your grief journey. 
 
October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, and this month’s calendar is full. You can choose to participate based on what feels good to you… and know that it’s okay to change your plans if your feelings change. We know that the month of October can be bittersweet; we have more opportunities to talk and celebrate our children and this can become heavy. Please be sure to find ways to take care of yourselves always, and especially this month. 
Online Journaling Event
October 1 - 31
Please join BPoM in remembering our babies and honoring our grief during October through an online journaling event.
Each day, prompts will be posted on the Facebook event page which will help you reflect on your grief and healing journey. You may choose to participate and respond to the prompt every day of the month, or, only on those days that speak to you. If you get behind, you can always catch up on past days' prompts as well.

We also encourage you to interact with each other and reply to each other's prompt responses. Feeling a sense of community can be incredibly helpful during our healing. We hope that reflecting on these prompts and knowing others have traveled a similar journey will help you remember your baby(ies) and continue your healing process, no matter where you are at in your grief.
Learn More
October Support Events
Not all the events listed below are BPoM events. Please check the individual organization websites to see how, or if, they will be hosted.
10/1: Harley's Hustle
9:00 am
A 5k run/walk to raise awareness and support for pregnancy and infant loss. There will be a silent auction with lots of great baskets from local businesses and families as well. 
10/2: Mikayla’s Grace 12th Annual Forever in Our Hearts Remembrance Day
11:00 am - 2:00 pm 
Join others to honor our babies and heal our hearts. Our children’s names will line the walk, beginning at 11:30 am, followed by a ceremony that includes reading of baby names, a dove release, and a picnic. Event details are found in the link above. Late registration available through October 2nd and shirts for those that register late will be available about two weeks after the event. 
10/6: Kull Counseling Miscarriage Support Group  (1st Thursday)
5:30 - 6:45 pm
Email julie@kullcounselingmadison.com for more information.
10/8: Date with Grief hosted by Better Not Bitter Mom
A social wellness event for parents who have experienced the death of their child. Spend an evening of intentional time together, reconnecting with one another, and learning how to better equip yourselves as individuals to help navigate your grief journey better- together. 
10/9: Alana Rose Foundation's Mourning Coffee Monthly Support Group (2nd Sunday)
8:00 am
Email alanarosefoundation@gmail.com for virtual meeting information.
10/10: Bo's Heavenly Clubhouse (2nd Monday)
5:30 - 7:00 pm
Support meetings at Higher Grounds Coffee Shop in Beaver Dam
10/13: GPS Hope Janesville (2nd Thursday)
6:30 pm
10/15: Empty Stroller Awareness Walk
5:30 - 8:30 pm
Bereaved parents and supporters are invited to come together to help raise awareness about pregnancy and infant loss. A candlelight vigil in honor of the International Wave of Light will follow the walk at 7 pm. 
10/15: International Wave of Light
7:00 pm
Join the world in celebrating our children by lighting a candle in memory of your baby(ies) for one hour to keep the wave going. If you’re interested, watch Niagara Falls at 9:00 pm CST as it illuminates in blue and pink. 
10/20: Compassionate Friends Monona (3rd Thursday)
7:00 - 8:30 pm
The support group is meeting virtually. Please email Gina at gma2293@gmail.com for details.
10/20: BPoM Support Group (3rd Thursday)
7:30 - 9:00 pm
All loss families are welcome to join this support group. Note: We will meet virtually through Zoom. Please watch our Facebook page or website for details.
10/21: Healing Our Hearts Foundation Grand Opening
9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Join in community, on the eve of Zaire’s 7th birthday, for the Grand Opening of Healing our Hearts Foundation. Light refreshments will be served. Healing Our Hearts offers a safe space to discuss loss, connect, and mend while celebrating the life of your loved one without worry. Their commitment is to provide a culturally appropriate understanding of grief and loss centered around black and brown bodies. 
10/24: Bo's Heavenly Clubhouse (4th Monday)
5:30 - 7:00 pm
Support meetings at Higher Grounds Coffee Shop in Beaver Dam
10/25: BPoM Rainbow Pregnancies of Madison Support Group (4th Tuesday)
6:00 pm
Note: We will meet virtually through Zoom. Please email rpom@bereavedparentsofmadison.com for details.
Many BPoM in-person support, group meetings, and events are suspended until further notice. 
Your health and safety are important to us; we also want to find ways to keep supporting you. We are working on ways to make virtual connections with you during this time.

Join us on Facebook! 
You can find our public Facebook page here or request to join our private Facebook page here. Our private page is a great place to connect with other loss families and share your thoughts and feelings, good, bad, or in between.

There's a new way to stay in touch with us!
You can now follow Bereaved Parents of Madison on Instagram! Check us out here.
If you need one-on-one peer support during this time please call us at (920) 643-0217.
We will connect you with a HUGS volunteer. 
Recommended Watching
We don't "move on" from grief. We move forward with it | Nora McInerny
In this TED Talk that's by turns heartbreaking and hilarious, writer and podcaster Nora McInerny shares her hard-earned wisdom about life and death. Her candid approach to something that will, let's face it, affect us all, is as liberating as it is gut-wrenching. Most powerfully, she encourages us to shift how we approach grief. "A grieving person is going to laugh again and smile again," she says. "They're going to move forward. But that doesn't mean that they've moved on."

Watch the video here.
News & Opportunities
Share your story
Do you have something you’d like to share with other bereaved parents about your child(ren) or loss journey? We are seeking stories, poems, songs or art from parents about holidays or meaningful moments to feature in our upcoming newsletters. We’d love to hear from you! Submit a story idea here.

Check out our newsletter archive or member stories page to read other stories and find additional resources.
BPoM is Recruiting HUGS Volunteers
We are looking for more HUGS volunteers to support newly bereaved families. 
  • HUGS provides peer-to-peer support for newly bereaved families
  • Bedside support is needed (Visit families in the hospital and follow-up with them after discharge) 
  • Community support is needed (Connect with families after discharge either as a hospital referral or a self-referral)
  • Moms, dads and Spanish speaking volunteers are needed
  • Training is provided! Training will be in September and focused topics offered quarterly.
Whether you support one family a year or more…every volunteer makes a difference! Click here to apply.

Upcoming training webinars & conferences

Other Opportunities

  • Baby Loss Remembrance Photography — Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep (NILMDTS)’s mission is to introduce remembrance photography to parents suffering the loss of a baby with a free gift of professional portraiture. Their hospital services have been limited due to the pandemic. You can send your own photos to NILMDTS for professional digital retouching.
  • Seeking Handmade Gown Sets and Blankets — Mikayla’s Grace is seeking gown sets (greater than 3 lb size only) and larger blanket sizes. You can sign up here to make them. Handmade items are accepted throughout the year. They will be delivered to area hospitals as they are collected.
  • Help Us Advocate for the Stillbirth Tax Credit - We are excited and hopeful to share that the stillbirth tax credit bill (LRB 1753) has been introduced this legislative session. Watch and listen to Amanda’s story and why she is advocating for this bill. Please contact your representatives and advocate with us. Bills can move quickly through legislation and we do not usually get much advance notice of advocacy opportunities. We will do our best to keep you updated!
  • Recommended Reading - We have a suggested reading list available on our website and you can request a free copy of a book (or electronic version) that interests you by filling out our Book Request Form. 
  • Infant Loss Support Directory — The Children's Health Alliance of WI has a list of bereavement resources listed by county around the state of Wisconsin. This is a valuable resource for families and providers.
  • BPoM Brochures Available — We provide free brochures about our organization and support services to any facility that supports our families. Request brochures here.
Contact
Website
Email
Facebook - Private Page
Facebook - Public Page
Copyright © *2020* *Bereaved Parents of Madison, Inc.*, All rights reserved.

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Bereaved Parents of Madison · PO Box 46511 · Madison, WI 53744-6511 · USA

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