Angel Wings is a charity and support group that I feel needs a lot more awareness than it gets already but I will be providing statistics around child loss so if this is something that you feel would upset you then don’t read on. If however you would like more information and want to know about the volunteering I take part in then keep reading.
The following statistics come straight from NHS Choices:
Stillbirth (A stillbirth is a baby born dead after 24 weeks, if it’s before 24 weeks then it’s classed as a miscarriage) is more common than many people think. There are more than 3,600 stillbirths every year in the UK, and one in every 200 births ends in a stillbirth. Eleven babies are stillborn every day in the UK, making it 15 times more common than cot death.
These statistics are staggering but what’s more unsettling than the numbers above is the fact that for a lot of people it’s still seen as a taboo subject when in fact I think that it’s something that we should be more open about. Angel Wings Baby and Child Loss Support on Facebook are doing just that by providing support groups for all friends and family members that are affected by a loss as well as one for women who can no longer have children. They are also fundraising for cuddle cots, which are a cooling system that will allow families to spend time with their child prior to a funeral. Angel Wings Forever Dressed in Love is also providing a service (all free of charge and relying on donations) where donated wedding dresses are turned into burial gowns or pockets depending on the size of the child.
Now for those of you that have read my blog or know me, will know that I had a hysterectomy a few years ago and that I had no wish in having children. However, my best friend suffered a miscarriage and seeing the pain she went through but also the change in her when she found a space where she could talk to people who have gone through the same thing, ask questions and generally gain support. I now volunteer for Angel Wings, mainly by organising our masquerade ball, and we’re onto our second in Edinburgh.
