15 October is International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. On this day, parents and families across Australia will honour their babies who passed away from miscarriage, stillbirth or newborn death.
An estimated one in four pregnancies (103,000) end in miscarriage in Australia each year, while approximately 3,000 babies are either stillborn or die in the first 28 days after birth.
International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day gives families an official opportunity to acknowledge their precious babies, and raise awareness of the emotional impact of pregnancy and infant loss.
Last week, Castlemaine Health was privileged to welcome Madeleine and Travis Gilby , a young couple from Echuca who experienced the heartbreaking loss of their beautiful daughter Anabelle Clare Gilby. Anabelle was stillborn on 25 November 2017.
After their experience, Madeleine and Travis dedicated themselves to fundraising $14,000 to purchase two Cuddle Cots through the Bears of Hope charity. The cots enable bereaved families to spend precious time with their longed-for babies. Madeleine and Travis chose to lovingly donate one of those Cuddle Cots to Castlemaine Health in honour of Anabelle, with the expressed and fervent hope that the cot is never, ever needed.
Castlemaine Health’s Acute staff were there to welcome Madeleine and Travis, and offer their very deepest thanks for this donation. Acute staff were absolutely delighted to finally meet Madeleine and Travis, who are now expecting twins.
Castlemaine Health would like to express our deepest thanks the couple for their generous gift in honour of Anabelle Clare Gilby. We wish them every happiness and joy for the months and years ahead.
International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day culminates in an “International Wave of Light”, a world-wide lighting of candles at 7pm for an hour. In that hour, families across the world will unite in honour of the babies who lit up their lives for a short time.
Sands Australia is a confidential telephone helpline provides a safe place for anyone affected by the death of a baby to talk about their feelings. Their helpline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year (including Christmas Day) by dialling 1300 072 637.
