Jane's Event: Chicago

It's no surprise that blogging has been such an outlet for us. Despite myself being the only blogger in the family, my husband reads and is able to release some of his grief through the words I write. The comments I receive from you wonderful followers have helped us both through some very rough times. It's important to know others are grieving with us, listening, mourning, and loving us. This blog has also connected me to others who have lost their children and I have been able to support them with words and love. I receive emails frequently from some loss parents who just need to hash things out with someone who understands their grief journey.

Enter, Berkley. She lives in Chicago and contacted me through this blog for support nearly a year ago after losing her daughter on January 25, 2012. She wanted to share her daughter's life with me as she knew I'd understand her heartbreak and also celebrate her life. I wouldn't feel sorry for her, but empathize and encourage. I hope that I can do that for every babyloss friend who comes my way.

Berkley sent me an email about an event being held in Chicago on January 26, 2013 in memory of her daughter. On the website she created for her daughter, she states the mission of their fundraising event:

Established in loving memory of our baby daughter Jane, the Jane B. Wellstein Memorial Fund provides philanthropic support to hospitals and organizations that offer comfort, supportive care services, and other essential resources to parents and families who have experienced an infant loss. 

Berkley wrote me an email describing their efforts to build Jane's Room to help other families who may find themselves enduring child loss.

From the day we came home from the hospital without our little girl, we knew that we wanted to give back, give to others that would have to unfortunately travel this same horrible road, and give to the hospital that provided us with so much care and strength at a seemingly impossible time.

Working with the hospital where I delivered Jane (Northwestern's Prentice), we had realized that it was necessary to have a waiting room designated for grieving families, as my husband and our families had to wait at certain times during my labor and delivery in the “normal” waiting room surrounded by celebrating and happy families. This grieving waiting room is called Jane's Room and will be dedicated on her first birthday, January 25. We are raising money to start more of these in the Chicago area hospitals as well as hopefully other hospitals throughout the country. 

If you're a Chicagoan who might be interested in purchasing tickets to an event to benefit other loss families in the name of Jane, please find more information here. All are encouraged to attend-- you do not need to be a loss parent to participate and celebrate Jane's life and the wonderful efforts her parents are doing in her honor.

*The family did not ask me to blog... I'm doing it because I love to support loss families.