"A wife who loses a husband is called a widow.
A husband who loses a wife is called a widower.
A child who loses his parents is called an orphan.
There is no word for a parent who loses a child.
That’s how awful the loss is."
President Ronald Reagan shared this passage from An Orphan’s Tale in 1988 when he proclaimed October as National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. When it comes to this type of loss, many people don’t know what to say, so it is simply not talked about. This month can be an opportunity for parents who have lost a child to talk about their grief and for the community to better understand their pain.
However, in addition to an invitation to sympathize with parents, this month is also a call to action, especially for our listening area. In the bootheel of Missouri, the infant mortality rate is significantly higher than the national average. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reports that 218 babies died before their first birthdays between 2003 and 2013. 33% of those babies were from the bootheel or St. Louis. While the loss of children traumatically affect the lives of mothers and loved ones, it also has long lasting emotional, and even economical, impacts on everyone in the community. The organization Bootheel Babies believes infant mortality can be reduced through community involvement to improve women’s health, prenatal care, baby’s nutrition and home safety.
Resources:
http://www.october15th.com/
http://www.bootheelbabies.org/
