Approximately 700 babies are lost each day in the UK during pregnancy, at birth or in infancy, yet baby loss remains a secretive and deeply traumatic experience for both parents. When these parents and their families are going through the trauma of loss, their need for advice and information is vital and with around 1 in 10 of the country’s population has a non-British nationality (6.2 million in 2017), resources in their native tongue are essential.
The Mariposa Trust, which is a leading support charity working within the field of baby loss, has acknowledged the need for information and advice resources, and is launching their two main support leaflets, including their ‘Baby Loss and You’ leaflet, (which is widely used across the NHS), in 30 different languages.
Zoe Clark-Coates, founder and CEO of the Mariposa Trust commented, “At the most desperate times in people’s lives, when they are experiencing the loss of their child, they need information and advice in an easy to understand format. Currently information is only available in a small number of languages, and having spent time talking with a wide range of front-line NHS staff working day-in-day-out with baby loss, they unanimously agreed that they needed multi-lingual resources to assist them in caring and supporting these families. The charity has taken this on board, and will by the end of 2018 have resources available in 30-languages.”
At the start of ‘Baby Loss Awareness Week’, a week where charities and support organisations work to raise awareness of baby loss, which affects 1-in-4 pregnancies, resulting in around 258,000 losses each year in the UK, the Mariposa Trust is stepping forward to provide the support that the NHS is crying out for.
The Mariposa Trust provides support via six divisions to over 50,000 people each week, and in just five years has become a leading voice to government, the department of health and the media. Zoe Clark-Coates, who is currently co-chairing the National Pregnancy Loss Review on behalf of the Secretary of State for Health, spoke about what has become a global time of remembrance. “Baby Loss Awareness Month is a key time for millions of families around the world. Initially launched by President Ronald Regan in 1988, it allows people regardless of where they live, to connect with others in remembering the babies they have lost. Taking part in global symbolic acts, such as the ‘Wave of Light’ can be therapeutic and make people feel less alone. This is a time where we can all unite and use our collective voice, to say all lost babies matter, and highlight the issue of loss to all of society.”
More information on the Mariposa Trust can be found at www.sayinggoodbye.org