Faith’s Lodge provides a place where parents and families facing the serious illness or death of a child can retreat to reflect on the past, renew strength for the present, and build hope for the future.

Faith’s Lodge is located on 80 acres of the lush north Wisconsin forest. With eight beautifully designed guest suites, each accommodating up-to six people, Faith’s Lodge is a wonderful place for bereaved families to reflect and heal. In addition to the serene surroundings and cozy accommodations, Faith’s Lodge also provides optional activities such as “professionally-led discussion groups, therapeutic arts and crafts and north woods adventures.”

In operation since July 2007, Faith’s Lodge has served over 300 families and is the only facility of its kind in the country. Operating as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, Faith’s Lodge offers these wonderful services at a minimum donation of $25 per night. “However, no one will ever be turned away for financial reasons.”

• Download the Faith’s Lodge brochure here.
• Download the Faith’s Lodge brochure for professionals here.

Other Useful Links:
• Faith’s Lodge
• Faith’s Lodge on Facebook
• Contact Faith’s Lodge

Nominate Faith’s Lodge for the Chase Community Giving Contest on Facebook!

I just found out about this organization today and the whole concept has blown me away! Our family would have benefited tremendously from this healing retreat. A safe place away from the world, quiet, serene and surrounded by nature would have done the heart and soul some serious good during those first few painful years.

So today I am passing this message onto any eyes and ears that will take note. Spread the word about Faith’s Lodge and help nominate them for the Chase Community Giving Contest on Facebook! Faith’s Lodge has a wonderful opportunity to win more than $1,000,000 through the Chase Community Giving Contest with the assistance of Facebook users.

For all of you Twitter types out there copy and paste this message “Join me in voting for Faith’s Lodge to win more than $1 million in the Chase
Giving contest! Visit http://bit.ly/A3DZw“

What do you think about Faith’s Lodge mission? Would you have benefited from their healing retreat? Leave your thoughts below.

Related posts:

1. Grief Support After the Death of a Child: The Compassionate Friends
2. Subsequent Pregnancy After a Loss Support (SPALS)

Capturing a Short Life is a beautiful documentary about families dealing with infant loss and how important it is to remember and celebrate all of the tiny lives lost so soon.

Originally airing in December 2008 in Canada, Capturing a Short Life is powerfully moving. Shows people who haven’t experienced a child loss why it is important to for us to remember and talk about our children. One father said it best in the trailer “we love to talk about her because she was a person.”

Having known first-hand the pain of losing a child so young, we started Hanami Prints to provide bereaved parents and families the smallest of comforts through meaningful and personal keepsakes. We understand how important it is to remember and know of few places to find quality and thoughtful items to mark our childrens’ short lives.

Useful Links:
• Capturing a Short Life– if you missed the documentary you can purchase the DVD from their site.
• Hanami Prints– Our products

What did you think of the trailer? Did you watch the documentary? How was it received friends, family and the media?

Related posts:

1. Faith’s Lodge: A Place Where Hope Grows

Mission
The mission of The Compassionate Friends is to assist families toward the positive resolution of grief following the death of a child of any age and to provide information to help others be supportive…

With more than 600 meeting locations around the country, The Compassionate Friends deliver in building an emotional support group of grieving families whom all share in dealing with the devastating loss of a child. Meetings are not moderated by therapists but instead bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents in all stages of the grieving process.

I first heard about The Compassionate Friends through an old schoolmate who lost her son a few days after giving birth to him six years ago. To date, she is still very active in her local chapter assisting in fundraisers and community events. What I was most impressed by was that shortly after her son passed, she was taken to a meeting being held within the same hospital and was immediately embraced both physically and spiritually–the group sobbed together and let her know she was not alone. Crying together, my friend told me that she was so thankful that there was a group of people out there to help her walk the difficult path of grieving her son.

Useful Links:
• The Compassionate Friends Home
• The Compassionate Friend on Facebook
• Chapter Locator

Related posts:

1. Subsequent Pregnancy After a Loss Support (SPALS)
2. Faith’s Lodge: A Place Where Hope Grows
3. Peer-to-Peer Support for Mothers of Stillborn Babies

“A couple who suffered the devastating loss of six unborn babies in five years are celebrating after the safe arrival of their daughter Amy.

Julie and Phil Turnock had almost given up on their dream of having a child after having six miscarriages, including one baby that had to be delivered at 21 weeks.

But they decided to have a final attempt and are now planning their first Christmas with their new addition, who was born after a smooth labour weighing in at a healthy 7lb 10oz.

‘She’s a miracle baby and we are going to have a wonderful time over the festive season,’ said Julie, 36, as she nursed seven-week-old Amy at the family home in Matlock Bath, Derbyshire.

‘When we look at Amy it sometimes seems like a dreams and that she is not our little girl.

‘All the way through the pregnancy, although I tried to remain upbeat I couldn’t help thinking it wasn’t going to happen and that I would miscarry again.

‘Even when we’d got through major milestones, and when I went beyond 14 weeks which was around the time I lost my other babies, I still didn’t believe I would be a mother…’ ”

Read more

As a parent who has suffered the loss of one full term stillborn son and a miscarriage, I can’t even imagine nor think I could muster the strength to endure what these parents in Derbyshire have. The loss of two children has taken a tremendous toll on me mentally, physically and spiritually–let alone six babies in five years.

Questions:

• Where do you find the strength to to try again after suffering a loss?
• If you decided to try again what would keep you going?

Related posts:

1. Peer-to-Peer Support for Mothers of Stillborn Babies
2. Number of stillbirths a ‘national tragedy’, says charity – Times Online

Drum roll please….

…and the winner is Donna!

We would like to thank all of our readers for participating and for making our relaunch such a big success. I am truly humbled by the number of people who participated–the feedback we received was wonderful.

We invite you to subscribe to our feed via email or RSS reader to easily stay up-to-date.

Other Ways to Connect With Us

We enjoyed putting this giveaway together–let us know your thoughts. Did you enjoy this giveaway? Would you like to see us offer this on a regular basis?

Related posts:

1. Memorial Charcoal Portrait From Our Latest Giveaway
2. Comment and Win a Charcoal Portrait

How active and supportive?

Very! Within moments of my wife posting her first email to the group there was an outpouring of support from members all over the world letting her know that we were not alone. It has been over three years since that first email and I can tell you the momentum and strength of the group hasn’t slowed a bit.

Shortly after the passing of her first child, due to severe preeclampsia and HELLP Syndrome, Sarah Grimes Founded SPALS in December 1995. Sarah is still very much a part of SPALS and is one of two list administrators.

Sarah shares her experience “The Life and Death of Haven, our Beloved Daughter.”

Conclusion

SPALS is a wonderful support group that has been a tremendous resource. Its members have helped us through some of the darkest times. There are many support groups out there, but SPALS offers an atmosphere of intimacy and privacy that is very comforting and reassuring.

Useful Links:

• SPALS Home – Subsequent Pregnancy After a Loss Support
• SPALS Faq – Frequently asked questions
• Join SPALS – Join SPALS now
• Sarah Grimes – For general enquiries and history of SPALS

Do you have a story to share about SPALS? What would you tell our readers looking to join a support group? What support groups have you found most helpful?

Related posts:

1. Grief Support After the Death of a Child: The Compassionate Friends
2. Peer-to-Peer Support for Mothers of Stillborn Babies
3. Faith’s Lodge: A Place Where Hope Grows