"Each new life... No matter how fragile or brief... Forever changes the world."

 

 


 

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  1. We are often asked by people who do not understand or choose not too understand sometimes through ingnorance, why families are lookingSnowdrop for their baby now and why they need too. 

     

    Babies die for many reasons and sometimes there is no obvious reason. For families trying to understand why their longed for baby has died can be a source of great pain.

     

    When a baby was stillborn and died many years ago, the baby would have been taken away never to be seen again. The families did not get to hold their baby and there were no choices as to what would happen to their baby and they were never told. 

     

    When a family member dies, the grieving family get the opprtunity to say goodbye and have a funeral, this is very much the beginning of coming to terms and learning to live without that person.  For the families who contact "Brief Lives- Remembered" they did not get that chance, there were no goodbyes or acknowledgment that their baby ever existed. There were no answers or place to visit. 

     

    Finding out where a baby's resting place, brings a huge sense of relief and a chance to acknowlege and remember their baby in a way they never had before..

     

    "For 39 years l had no idea where my darling stillborn baby girl was, although l carried her in my heart everyday. You found her resting place for me, and have given me profound peace knowing l can go to be near her whenever l need to, thankyou, you were my guardian angel."

     

    "My own search led me up many blind alleys, and I was going to be unsuccessful, until I tried the "Brief Lives - Remembered" website, and in no time we had the information we needed. We are going to visit the grave very soon, and we will have closure at last. after 45 years of wondering"

     

     " At last I feel I can grieve for my son, I now feel at peace with my self"

     

    Best Wishes 

     

    Paula

  2. Back in the 1970s, when a baby was born sleepingor died shortly after birth, their existence was far from recognized let alone celebrated.  There was no dignity in death for these young souls.  I have grown up knowing that I had an older brother who died a few weeks after he was born.  I have also grown up knowing that my Mum and dad had no idea what happened to him after he died.  All they had was a birth certificate and death certificate.  They didnt have any photos of him, no chance to take handprints or footprints, there was no funeral, there was no memorial.

     

    Mum would often talk about her little boyparticularly around his birthday in September, but quite often out of the blue.   He was born in 1971, after a long and difficult labour, with Spina Bifida and encephalitis.  Mum and Dad had no idea.  Back then there was no screening available and very little monitoring in comparison to the care received today.  Immediately after delivery, Darren was whisked away to a different hospital 25 miles away. My dad went with him in the ambulance.  That was the only and last time they saw him.

     

    That was 45 years ago now but it is still a huge part of our family history.  My parents went on to have me in 1972, then my two sisters and grandchildren have followed yet Darren has never been forgotten.   He was a son, a brother, an uncle but there was never any positive way to remember him because we did not know where he was.  There was a void in our lives.  This chasm of heartache rippled through our lives. Mum would often talk about trying to find out what happened to him and where he was but didnt know where to start both practically and emotionally.  Dad kept his thoughts and feelings to himself.

    Then came the turning point in our lives. It was coming up to Darrens birthday last year when we were watching a soap with a story line in it about still birth.  Mum talked again about trying to find him.  Where was he buried?  Was he buried or was he cremated?  She talked about how right it is nowadays that babies who do not live long are given respect and dignity in death and how the parents are supported in a way that she wished she had been all those years ago. This lack of recognition and respect for Darren continued to fill her with anger and sadness.  As I listened and watched her emotions, still as fierce as they must have been all those years ago, I decided that if she did not have the strength to find her baby then we would have to do it for her.

     

    Only a week or so after this conversation I had found a charity whose mission was to reunite parents with their babies who had had brief life back in the 1960's and 1970's.  The situation was not unique to us, but many families who had lost babies as it was common practice in those days.  There were families worldwide who had no idea what had happened to their child.  I contacted the charity and gave them the relevant details of his birth and all that I knew about his death.  On 25th September 2015, they phoned with me with the information that my parents had been craving for so many years.

     

    Mum and Dad now know that Darren was buried at Avonview Cemetery in Bristol on 26th October 1971, 3 weeks after he had died.  He was buried with another baby in an unmarked grave in a corner of the cemetery.  Sadly, you would not have known that anyone was buried there, but since they have found him they have been able to plant a tree to remember him and lay a plaque celebrating his short but important life.  This year wouldve been his 45th birthday, this year we will have somewhere to go to remember him.

     

    For us, our family is now complete. He is no longer ‘Mum’s little boyhe is our brother their son and my children’s uncle.  He now has the dignity and respect that shouldve been bestowed on him all those years ago.

     

    It is hoped that by sharing our story it may help others find their lost babies.

     

    This is for you big brother xxx

     

    Kerry Brown

     

  3.  

    This week is Babyloss Awareness week and I have been thinkinBabylossg about some of the comments that have been made to me in the course of my work. Most people are very kind and thoughtful with what they say. However sometimes the things that people say can be really hurtfull. A recent thing that was said to me when talking about the work of "Brief Lives - Remembered", was "I don't know what the fuss is about, It's just a baby". 

     

    The death of a baby is a loss like no other, NO it is not just about a baby, it is about so much more. It is about the baby who will never become a toddler, schoolchild, teenager or a parent and so much more.....

     

    It's about the lost relationship off a mother and father and their child. or of a sibling, auntie's & uncles, Grandparents.....

     

    It's about the lost plans, hopes and dreams. It's about not having a chance to be the person they could have been. it's about so much more.

     

     

    Christmas Candle

     

    We will never forget - Loving and Remembering our children now and always.

     

     

     

  4.  

    I am very happy to be the first person to write an opening Bluebellsblog for ”Brief Lives - Remembered”. I am the founder and director of "Brief Lives - Remembered", which was founded in July 2004. Welcome to our very unique non-profit making organisation.

     

    “Brief Lives - Remembered” was established in memory of Zoe Karen Gentle whose time on earth was tragically hours rather than years.  Zoe’s legacy is in the work we do in her honour to help and support families just like hers.   

     

    In future blogs I will tell you more about Zoe and her twin brother Clive as well as about the wonderful things we are doing. There will also be blogs written by some of our volunteers. Maybe even by some of the parents and siblings.  

     

    With love and best wishes 

     

    Paula