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For Families In Memory of Their Baby
The Pages of Hope Project
I wish with all my heart you did not have reason to visit this page, as this means that you too have lost a piece of your heart ❤️
I'm Lisa and I created A place in my heart, Baby Memorial Grief Journal with the wonderful support of bereavement midwife, Kelly Harris. I've created this page to explain about the Pages of Hope Project and how you might become involved.
Why I feel so passionately about these journals
If you have received a journal, you will already know that they don't mention my actual story, as there are already so many wonderful resources out there that share stories.
However, writing has helped me so much over the years with my grief after losing my baby. I want to help other bereaved parents who are struggling to be able to untangle, release, find comfort or even just a moment's peace in their grief. Writing can help to solidify the realisations that hit us whilst grieving and to make conscious decisions to reach for something helpful on the worst days, rather than subconsciously reaching for things that end up bringing us more pain.
Whilst my detailed story is not relevant as such, my experiences over the years that have led me to create the journals definitely is. Here's a very brief snapshot.
We hear the devastating words "I'm so sorry, there's no heartbeat" for our firstborn baby. Our worlds change forever and we begin our lifelong journey of grief.
I set up a website blogging, and creating keepsake gifts for bereaved parents who have also lost a baby. At the time, no UK website dedicated to baby loss gifts exists.
I begin a local peer to peer support group for bereaved parents. Myself and others work together, fundraise and provide resources to hospitals for bereaved parents.
Drawing on my previously unknown creative streak, I start a Graphic Design course to make a complete change in my career (previously a Family Mediator).
I work for a pregnancy safety charity with a focus on working with previously bereaved parents, midwives and expectant parents to help save future babies' lives.
At the end of 2019, I burn out. I step away from all things baby loss related for a while, as the anniversary this year hits me harder than ever and I realise I'm not coping well.
I reflect on my burnout, my grief and set to re-building my life in a way that helps me to carry and honour my grief in a much healthier way and having gratitude for all I have.
I set up my business with a focus on writing for self-care. It naturally falls towards helping with grief. I reflect on my grief journey and design my first guided journal for grief.
Bereavement midwife Kelly Harris contacts me about my grief journals. With Kelly's support and encouragement, I design a baby memorial version of my grief journal.
The Pages for Hope Project is launched, and together, we work towards making the baby memorial journals available to all who might benefit from writing for grief.
What the baby loss journals contain
If you haven't yet seen a journal, you can find out what's inside and take a peek of some sample pages via a digital flip book below.
More info and sample pages
About the Pages of Hope Project
As these baby memorial journals were inspired with the support of a wonderful bereavement midwife, I would love for them to become a comforting bereavement suite resource to be given to bereaved parents (those who would like one) to take away as they begin to gradually navigate their grief. With this in mind, I have created the Pages of Hope Project.
"The Pages of Hope Project’s aim is for the baby memorial journals to be available to bereaved parents as gifts from their local bereavement suites, or charity support groups as an ongoing self-care tool to help cope with grief."
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I have donated...
...15 baby memorial grief journals to the bereavement suite of the local hospital who cared for us when we lost our baby. I will continue to donate them on an ongoing basis.
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You can fundraise...
... to provide our baby memorial journals to your local hospital's maternity bereavement suite or a charity support group for bereaved parents, in memory of your baby.
A step by step guide to join the Pages of Hope Project
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1) Get in touch with me via the form below
I'll need to know the hospital/charity you would like to donate the journals to and whether you are already in touch with the midwife/person based at the hospital/charity to give the "okay" for the journals.
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2) Start your fundraising in memory of your baby
You can do this in any way that you'd like to. Perhaps you are part of a local charity group or maybe you are taking on a personal challenge to honour your baby's memory and help others.
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3) Your target is £280 to provide 15 journals
This amount gives 15% off the standard price of the journals and pays a small amount towards postage and packaging (we cover the difference.) Let us know when you hit your target.
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4) Once you have reached your target
I will pack up 15 journals, pen pouches, pens and "in memory" cards to post directy to the bereavement midwife at your local hospital, OR you can choose to have them sent to you to present to them yourself ❤️
In memory of cards
Included with each book donated will be a little card saying:
"Donated with love in memory of (your baby's name here)"
The hope is we can cause a ripple effect for others to find a release through writing and perhaps even find their way here and create a new memory by raising funds to honour their baby too.
FAQ's
Is The Self-care Journal co. a non profit organisation?
No, but it is a small business with a strong sense of purpose.
I'm a one woman band who has chosen to combine my professional skills and personal experiences to set up my business to inspire/help others as my full time job.
The Pages of Hope project is in memory of our beautiful baby.