Chana brings a Wave of Light to Hendon to mark Baby Loss Awareness Week

Despite being surprisingly common, it can be a painful and isolating experience and one of the hardest topics to talk about, said Dr Romy Shulman, psychologist at Chana. “Loss in pregnancy and stillbirth can be described as ‘ambiguous’ loss because it is the loss of the dreams and expectations that existed in the minds and hearts of the parents, a private reality that begins at the moment of a positive pregnancy test. This can be difficult to express and share with others.”

She said that while in Jewish law there was generally no formal shiva or mourning rituals for a baby that survived for fewer than 30 days, this did not take away from the immense personal and often private mourning that parents suffered. “Without the formal mourning structure, parents can feel isolated and lonely, and others can find it difficult to know what to do or say to support them.”

Dr Veronique Berman, scientific advisor at Chana, shared that Chana’s inaugural Wave of Light event “brought this conversation to the forefront of our community and beyond, providing a safe and welcoming space to publicly acknowledge these painful losses together”.

Hendon Town Hall illuminated for Wave of Light event, the culmination of Baby Loss Awareness Week (Photo: Chana)[Missing Credit]

The evening also marked the launch of a remembrance tree, an initiative introduced by Chana volunteer Gina Brodkin.

Anyone who had been affected by baby loss in the community was invited to anonymously honour and mark their loss by writing their baby’s name, significant dates, or some special words on a pink and blue ribbon, which was hung on the tree during the evening. Gina described it as “a beautiful and special opportunity created to give a space to and acknowledge something usually so private and personal, and remember those precious losses”.

Heads of Chana paid tribute to Councillor Alex Prager, the Conservative councillor group and Barnet Council, as well as Sergeant Amanda Gallagher and the local police, for their support.

“The response from our community, and from our local councillors and authorities is a powerful acknowledgement of how much this topic matters,” said Dr Berman.

Susie Holder, clinical lead at Chana, added: “Above all, we are deeply grateful to everyone who came and shared this evening with us. Their presence is what the event was all about and was profoundly meaningful.”

Chana supports couples through pregnancy or baby loss at any stage of loss. If you or someone close to you has experienced this kind of loss and would like support, you can contact Chana on: 020 8201 5774 or go to: chana.org.uk