Backus helps parents cope with infant loss
PrintNORWICH — The grief associated with the loss of a child during pregnancy or in infancy can linger and cause long-term mental health issues if not dealt with properly.
To help families in eastern Connecticut deal with this issue, The William W. Backus Hospital is hosting its first ever “Day of Remembrance” service on Saturday, Oct. 15, at 1 p.m. in the hospital’s Medical Office Building lobby. The program is designed to remember deceased babies and infants, and to help families cope with one of life’s most difficult moments.
The service is offered in conjunction with a new Pregnancy and Early Infant Loss Support Group, called Angels Remembered, which meets monthly at Backus and is facilitated by Suzanne Smith, a Backus social worker. The support group is the idea of Michelle Sanford, a Norwich woman who experienced a loss firsthand, and wishes to bring grief services to others like her in the region.
After Sanford lost her baby 8 ½ months into her pregnancy in June 2004, she formed a support group that met in her home once a month, and when it continued to grow, she asked Backus to provide space and counseling services.
The support group meets the second Tuesday of every month from 7-8:30 p.m. in Backus Hospital entry level conference room 1.
The Oct. 15 event, which is also open to children and family members of parents who have experienced infant loss, is being sponsored by the Backus Foundation, Inc. It will feature a speaking program that includes the story of a father who attends the support group, and a chance for children’s names to be read aloud if parents desire, as well as an ecumenical prayer service led by Sister Rita Johnson, Director of Pastoral Care at Backus.
For more information about the service or support group, call Smith at 889-8331 ext. 4239.