It’s a chance to remember loved ones lost too soon.
October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month and the middle of the month, Oct. 15, is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.
It’s an important time of year for some in the Stratford community, who will gather to honour and remember.
Starting at 8:30 a.m. on the 15th at Stratford City Hall, a special flag will be raised to signify the importance of the day. Then, at 6:30 p.m. in the city hall’s auditorium, Stratford’s 9th Wave of Light event will be held with anyone welcome to attend.
Jillian Chambers, event organizer, knows the story of loss all too well.
Nine years ago, during her second pregnancy, Chambers was expecting twins.
Her “perfect” pregnancy went off without a hitch. However, on the day of the twin’s birth, one of them, little William Bear, passed away.
Through her experience, Chambers wanted to bring the conversation surrounding pregnancy and infancy loss to light and let people know who are struggling that they are not alone.
“There’s a lot of people out there that understand, it’s just whether you’re willing to talk about it and make people aware about it,” expressed Chambers.
The global Wave of Light event started its Stratford iteration in Chamber’s home after the loss of Bear. Since then, it has grown as more people come out to support one another through their shared experiences.
“They realized like ‘Woah, I get to say my baby’s name out loud, these people care and they actually want to hear my story’,” said Chambers.
Then, at 7 p.m. across the globe, people light a candle for an hour in remembrance of their loss. Following the candle lighting, people are welcome to share their stories and experiences and ultimately help one another heal.
To learn more about the event or the flag raising, visit Chambers’ website.
