A local woman here in Australia, who suffered Neonatal Loss of her twin boys a couple of years ago, has come up with a novel idea for those who suffer a miscarriage. Erin Hartigan was 24 weeks pregnant when her her two boys were born prematurely. They only lived a short time. As a result of the pain and loss she suffered, she wanted to try and do something to help other mothers who had undergone a miscarriage or a similar experience of loss.
This year on January 2 she had a dream about making a box to put all her boys’ things in. She then started to think about making memory boxes for other mothers who have suffered the loss of a baby. A charity called Mums like Me was started. (Sorry all you Americans out there but since this is an Aussie charity I have used the Aussie spelling.)
What is the memory box? It is a decorated round box that, thanks to a couple of supporters, contains a selection of skincare products and other assorted goodies. Each box is donated in memory of a baby that never made it home with their parents.
Some people have the knack of using hard experiences in their marriage and their life and turning it around to help others. This is what Erin Hartigan and her husband have done. They bought a minivan intended for their new family. Now they deliver memory boxes to various hospitals in the region. Hospitals in Sydney, Wollongong, Nowra and Moruya have received such memory boxes.
What a lovely idea this is and what a great example of someone who has been able to use her own anguish to try and comfort and help other mothers who have miscarried. To learn more about this charity or perhaps to become involved if you have suffered a miscarriage yourself and want to help someone else, go to www.mumslikeme.org. It shows that sometimes helping others can be a good way to help overcome a couple’s own grief.
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