Wave of Light for Baby Loss Awareness Week 2022
Archive image: BabySTEPPs commemorated International Baby Less Awareness Day with a ‘Wave of Light’ event. The event held on Monday at Westview Park saw people place candles to mark their loved ones who have passed. A Remembrance Art session was held prior to this at Wellington Front where people could create personalised glass lanterns. Photo Johnny Bugeja
BabySTEPPs are once again participating in the global Wave of Light as part of Baby Loss Awareness Week 2022 which takes place this week.
This Saturday, October 15, candles will be lit between 7 and 8pm across all timezones in the world, creating a wave across the globe. On the Rock it will take place at Westview Park.
Baby Loss Awareness Week, now in its 20th year, is an opportunity for everyone in the baby loss community and beyond to come together to remember and commemorate our much-loved and missed babies.
The week also provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the impact of pregnancy and baby loss; the importance that bereavement support plays in the ongoing bereavement journey; and of the vital work that is needed to improve pregnancy outcomes and to save babies’ lives.
BabySTEPPs are again providing funding for Child Bereavement UK’s online training ‘Pregnancy loss and the death of a baby: Supporting Parents’. The training is suitable for professionals working with parents grieving the loss of a baby, including medical professionals.
“We hope that the Wave of Light will spark conversations about baby loss and give local bereaved parents and families an opportunity to talk about their babies. Similarly, we hope the training will provide professionals with a space in which to reflect on the experiences of bereaved families as well as the impact on them as professionals,” said a statement from BabySTEPPs.
This year Baby Loss Awareness Week will be exploring the theme of ‘Stepping Stones’ and how someone whose baby has died finds themselves on a new path they never expected to be on.
Clea Harmer, Chief Executive of Sands and Chair of the Baby Loss Awareness Alliance, said: “Following their loss, families find themselves on a new path they never expected to be on. This year, Baby Loss Awareness Week focuses on the steps along that journey, and how they are different for everyone. Some steps along the journey can feel harder than others, but there is always a hand to support anyone when they feel unsteady.”
“We hope that the Wave of Light will help reassure anyone who finds themselves on this journey, whether recently bereaved or longer ago, that there is a community that exists to help with whatever is needed, whether that is advice, support or simply someone to listen and walk by their side.”
Anyone in Gibraltar can share their photos of their lit candles on social media and include the hashtag #BLAW to reach as many people as possible and create a Wave of Light across social media also.
“Baby Loss Awareness Week is recognised across the world and culminates with the “Wave of Light” on 15 October. This is a special time when people across the world light a candle at 7pm local time and leave it burning to remember all babies that have died too soon,” the statement from BabySTEPPs added.
