Stillbirth Expense Assistance

Hi mommy and daddy,

I Miss You!!!

I want you to know that I still remember every moment of my life with you.  I remember feeling your hand pressing to feel me tumbling around while I was growing.  I remember hearing your sweet voice when you talked to me about what it might be like one day.  I remember hearing my siblings and my pets playing and fighting in the living room and thinking, I can’t wait to play with them.  I remember feeling loved and cared for during my time with you.  I remember you taking care of me by going to the doctor to check on me.  You planned for me by creating my beautiful room.  I know you wanted to make it perfect for me.  I loved hearing you say my name to everyone you talked to.  You even talked about me to people at the store where you couldn’t resist buying all those cute outfits for me.  As you planned for my arrival I could only imagine what was waiting for me!

I was ready for you, but…

On my birthday, I didn’t get to feel you hold me in your arms and kiss my face for the first time.  I didn’t get to meet my siblings.  I didn’t get to learn to walk with you holding my hand so I wouldn’t fall and get hurt.  I didn’t get to play with you and laugh as you tickled my tummy.  I didn’t get to make messes for you to stump your toe on.  I didn’t get to play with my siblings and get in trouble with them.  I didn’t get to feel your tender hug when I was hurting.  I didn’t get to hear you cheering for me during school plays.  I didn’t get to play sports and hear you yell my name.  I didn’t get to wear all those outfits you bought me.  I didn’t get to make memories with you that most children get to do with their mommy and daddy.    

I know my life with you was short.  I know with my death the dreams you had for me were erased.  I know memories of my brief existence on earth are hard.  I know you loved me and still love me with all your heart.  I know I am not alone and neither are you.  I know babies die in their mommy’s belly sometimes without any reason.  I know even though I am not there with you, I will always be your baby.  I know I count as your child, even if people don’t see me there.  Even though memories of me are few, they still exist, because I did.

I just want to say thank you for loving me so much!

Love,
Your precious stillborn baby
 
Problem:
About 24,000 babies are stillborn each year in the US, which translates to 1 in 160 pregnancies ending with a stillborn child.  

Need addressed by campaign:
All monies received during this gofundme campaign will go to assisting families and individuals pay for funeral and cemetery expenses for their stillborn child.  Funerals and cemetery plots can be very expensive and often families are not prepared financially to provide the appropriate services.  We were fortunate enough to have family, friends, and church family help us with expenses when our daughter was stillborn.  We want to help families and individuals provide services for their stillborn child by alleviating some of the costs associated with funeral and cemetery expenses.

National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month is October.  We will run this campaign the entire month to raise money to assist with stillbirth expenses.

Stillborn Speak is a nonprofit organization in Christiansburg, VA that was created to provide assistance to families/individuals encountering stillbirth.  Additionally, they provide education about stillbirth and its prevalence in the U.S.  To learn more about Stillborn Speak and its mission please visit, www.stillbornspeak.org.

Thank you,
Stillborn Speak