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Women and Children's Health: Still Missed

Still Missed is a support program designed to help parents cope with the grief associated with losing a baby.

Many parents have found the loss of a baby from miscarriage, stillbirth or newborn death to be a very lonely and painful experience. Well meaning family and friends may not completely understand the reactions, and may not know the best ways to offer support.

Whether you have lost your baby early or late in pregnancy, the baby may have become a very real person to you. With the loss of your baby, your hopes and dreams for the future may also have been altered.

Still Missed Memorial Planting - Held June 11, 2006 from 3 to 5 pm.

Still Missed 9th Annual Memorial Garden Planting and Remembrance Walk was a moving and memorable event. About 75 adults including staff, parents, extended family and friends with 20 children were involved with this special event on Sunday, June 11, 2006 Butterflies were the symbol of the day…children were invited to create their own butterflies to remember their lost siblings, parents wore a special butterfly badge… and finally, we had a wonderful butterfly release in the Memorial Garden. The beautiful memorial quilt, created in the 2005 planting, displayed in the entryway to the garden was dedicated along with a small solar fountain. Although the day was tinged with sadness, it was a wonderful and uplifting affair for the families present. Still Missed staff and Hospital chaplains welcomed the opportunity to connect personally with our families. If you would like to view several pictures from the event by the Suburban Life newspaper, go to http://libertysuburban.mycapture.com/mycapture/enlarge.asp?userphoto=0&theevent=138967

Several families who could not attend on Sunday were able to plant memorial flowers on following support group days. About 45 families have planted a flower in our garden this year. Still Missed staff continues to be available to assist anyone who would still like to plant a flower in our garden, but couldn’t attend our event. Please call our office to set up a time for planting, 630-856-4497.

A special thank you to all staff, musicians, and parent volunteers for your contributions to making this a special afternoon for remembering our babies. The beauty of the garden will continue to uplift all who visit throughout the coming months, while providing a special healing place to remember our babies.

18th Annual Memorial Service - Date to be Announced

Once a year, parents and extended family join together for a special memorial service to honor babies lost to miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal death. Held by the Still Missed support group, the 18th annual service will be held at 7:30 p.m. (at a date to be determined in 2006) at Hinsdale United Methodist Church, 945 S. Garfield, Hinsdale. Read More...

Still Missed Parent Support Group

The Still Missed Parent Support Group is designed to help you cope with the grief associated with losing your baby. You are welcome to each meeting in order to feel support and hope as you work through your grief. Together with other parents who understand the depth of your loss, you can truly express your feelings, share memories and work toward healing.
The Still Missed Support Group meets in the parlor room on the main floor of Tupper Hall at 119 North Oak Street (directly across from the hospital). The adjacent parking garage, designated for employees, may be used. Please join us on the second Monday of each month from 7:30 to 9:00 pm.

August 14, 2006 – “Empty cradle, Empty Arms”
The loss of a baby may leave us with the physical sensation of emptiness. How do we go about filling that tremendous hole in our lives? The searching and yearning for the baby that is such a natural part of grieving can be so very difficult to experience. Let’s share our experiences and find ways together to live with this empty feeling.

Spanish Speaking Parent Support Group
August 14, 2006 at 7:30 pm

September 11, 2006 - "What Do We Do With the Memories
Other people who have experienced pregnancy and birth share their experiences and pictures with everyone. What do we do with our memories? Still Missed provides a safe place for sharing. If you have pictures (ultrasound included) or other mementos you would like to share, bring them with you to this meeting.

Grandparents Support Group
August 14, 2006 “Communicating with your Grieving Children” Please join us as we share ideas on helpful words to say to your grieving children and ways to show your support, while you as grandparents are also grieving.

Subsequent Pregnancy Support Group
Beginning in July the group will meet on the third Monday of each month at 7:30 pm in the Tupper Hall parlor, 119 N. Oak St., Hinsdale, IL. Please feel welcome to attend meetings to share hope, relieve anxieties, and receive support as you journey through a subsequent pregnancy after a loss. On August 21, 2006 we will look at clips from a video After Loss, the Journey of the Next Pregnancy. After viewing the film we’ll explore how the journey is going for each of you.

Fundraising Opportunities
Our upcoming 3 day Shop and Share dates for Dominicks are June 12, 13, and 14. Future Shop and Share dates for Jewel are October 30, 31, and November 1, and December 11, 12, and 13. Future Shop and Share dates for Dominicks are July 3, 4, and 5, and November 13, 14, and 15. You may call 630-856-4497 to have slips mailed out to you. Your support in passing them out to your friends and family to help benefit our Still Missed group is appreciated. You may shop on any of the 3 designated days at any store in the entire Chicagoland area. You present your signed slip to the cashier. A percentage of your total bill is generously donated to Still Missed. Together we can make a difference.

Still Missed offers...

• Monthly support group meetings
• A trained, experienced counseling staff
• A lending library of pregnancy-related grief materials
• An opportunity to help parents feel less alone and better understand feelings of loss
• An opportunity for you to help others in your community work through similar experiences
• An annual memorial remembrance service
• Telephone support available
• Memorial Garden
• Quarterly grandparents support group
• Spanish support group

Still Missed Support Program Resources
Phone (630) 856-4497 leave a message or
Page for immediate response 630-255-1822.
Email - stillmissed@ahss.org or rroose@ahss.org
Website - http://www.keepingyouwell.com