The official newsletter of Bears Of Hope Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support Summer Edition, December 2015

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Vision To provide leading support and exceptional care for families who experience the loss of their baby.

Mission Bears offered at every hospital providing vital Early supportAn Australia wide program which provides timely andRelevant information to families who experience Stillbirth, miscarriage, neonatal or infant loss

Ongoing comfort and a lifetime of support From families who understand

Helping to challenge and shape beliefs surrounding lossOutstanding carePassionate pregnancy & infant loss supportEducation and awareness

Values • Committed to achieving our vision with integrity.• Dedicated to and passionate about making a difference.• Respecting grief is personal and unique.• Every family has the right to be offered support without judgement.• Equal acceptance and acknowledgement of every loss.

Bears Of Hope Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support Inc. 9885618

Website www.bearsofhope.org.au

Postal address PO Box 352 Stanhope Gardens NSW 2768

Contacts Bereavement Support Counsellor:Kelly MerchantPh: 1300 11 HOPEEmail: support@bearsofhope.org.au

General Enquiries:Ph 1300 11 BEAREmail: contact@bearsofhope.org.au

Newsletter Editor:Email: editor@bearsofhope.org.au

‘Remember This December’ Christmas donation appealsee page 4

Contents: 1. Our Vision, Mission and Values

Contact details2. Welcome from our President3. Christmas Light Display

A Note From The Editor

Summer Garden Of Angels 4. ’Remember This December’ 5. A Parent’s Story: Our Baby Peanut

6. A Parent’s Story: Our Baby James A Poem For Makayla7. Beards Of Hope Wrap-Up

8. Fundraiser Success Stories 9. ’Tis The Season To Be Jolly?10. ’Hole In My Heart’11. GiveMatcher Program

HOPE Movie 12. How to start your own Fundraiser

Coin Donation Boxes

Bears Of Hope Apparel13. 2015-16 Entertainment Memberships14. Bears Of Hope Support Packages

15. Resources: Book, CD and Jewellery Collection Social Media links16. Support Groups, Play Groups & Skype Support17. Our Generous Partners

To each of our volunteers, thank you for the time and professionalism you bring to your role, we cannot operate without you. To our board who have excelled once again at ensuring we continue to challenge the boundaries and are leading the way for bereavement support - thank you so much.

As the year closes, thank you to so many of you for your courage to speak about your baby and Bears Of Hope, through every conversation we start to change the taboo that surrounds our shared grief.

Wishing everyone a 2016 filled with health, healing & hope.

With hope,

Amanda Bowles President & Co-Founder

Welcome! The year is swiftly coming to an end again. This time of year can be tricky to navigate our grief and balance our needs as a bereaved parent with the needs of our families and communities that are joyously celebrating the Christmas season.

As with many important dates, the lead up to the event can often be a little worse than the day itself. If you can, try not to worry or fill your mind with the anxiety that can creep in. Be honest with those around you about how you feel and try to plan something that works a little for everyone so that you can also spend the day in a way that will bring hope to your lives again.

I must take this opportunity to thank the wonderful Rosalind for all of her efforts as our editor - what an incredible and professional job you have done. As Ros moves into her new business we wish you every success you deserve and are grateful for the dedication you have given to Bears Of Hope and the families we support.

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“Think I’ll miss you forever, like the stars miss the sun in the morning skies.”

- Summertime Sadness by Lana Del Ray

If you would like to submit a Message Of Love for your baby, or have them listed in the seasonal Garden Of Angels, please email editor@bearsofhope.org.au

For the Garden Of Angels we will require your Angel’s name & date of birth/passing.

Christmas Light Display Alex and Wil Long at 37 Bellotti Avenue, Winston Hills, will again be running their Christmas Lights Display in their angel childrens' names: Evangeline and Imagine. We invite anyone through Bears of Hope to come along and join us in Christmas spirit and peace and love.

We have been tenderly supported by this charity and we take this opportunity to tell the community about it and let them share in the power of mutual support.

Our Summer Garden of Angels Daniella Ptolemy 1 Dec 2009Squishy Alley 3 Dec 2009Kristen Elise Griffiths 4 Dec 2010Malaki Carpenter 10 Dec 2009Haralambos Harrison Mihos 11-12 Dec 2012Zoe Jane Piper 9 Dec 2012Haralambos Harrison Mihos 11-12 Dec 2012Phoenix Leslie Tickner 12 Dec 2013Lexi Grace 12 Dec 2010Sebastian Angelo Gallace 13 Dec 2012Sophie Cleo Raftery 14 Dec 2008Erin Jordyn Cambey 15 Dec 2010Eryn Natalie Donnelly 15 Dec 2008Ethan James Morrison 18-19 Dec 2011Joshua Lachlan Morrison 18-19 Dec 2011Katie Anne Turner 19 Dec 2004Little Sprout Avellino 21 Dec 2012Edward James Vicary 22 Dec 2009Kaiah Savage Pollard 24 Dec 2011Angel Timmins 25 Dec 2001Jesse Tyler Norval 26 Dec 2004Thomas ‘Tommy’ Morrison 26 Dec 2006Jelly Bean Stewart 31 Dec 2009David Berry 31 Dec 2009Riley Anthony & Harry David Cahill 2 Jan 2013Jacob Berry 2 Jan 2010Luke Bain 4 Jan 2012Aaron Michael Tolhurst 6-14 Jan 1997Sean Allan & Alex Martin Turner 7 Jan 2005Alejandria Purins 7 Jan 2011Emma Hope Goulding 7 Jan 2015Jorja Grace Robertson 10-15 Jan 2003David Fafeita 11 Jan 1971Bailey Antoni Thomas 16 Jan 2009Jesse Buttons Bowles 19 Jan 2006Archie Lachlan Finch Whittaker 19 Jan 2013Harry James Martin 29 Jan 2012Xavier Christopher Meyer 31 Jan-1 Feb 2011Noah Allan Ray 1 Feb 2009Zoe Ptolemy 1 Feb 2005Leo Edgar 2-7 Feb 2015Chelsea King-Dorney 3 Feb 2011Lillian Lovi 5 Feb 2010Jamie Griffen 8 Feb 2011Madison Hope Andronicus 12 Feb 2012Alexandra Lau 13 Feb 2015Jayden Johnson 13 Feb 2010Zoe Bain 15 Feb 2014Milana Matilda Rose Bencetti 23 Feb 2009Gabrielle Sara Cambey 27 Feb 2009Aaliyah Jane Smith 28 Feb 2014

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A Note From The Editor I’ve been part of the Bears Of Hope community since January 2013 after my husband and I lost our dear Little Sprout at 11 weeks gestation just before Christmas 2012. The experience of miscarrying was traumatic, utterly sad, and left me shaken to the core. I struggled badly to cope in the weeks immediately afterwards. After connecting with support counsellor Kelly and co-founder Toni, as well as the enormous Facebook group of bereaved parents, the fog of grief began to lift and I felt a strong desire to give back to the charity that had pulled me out of depression.

I initially began volunteering as Hunter Valley Events Co-ordinator and organised the 2013 Mother’s Day Movie Night which was lots of fun. But when the Newsletter Editor position opened up it sounded more up my alley because of my graphic design background. I’ve been in that role until now.

In May this year after lots of heartache, tests and surgery, we finally got our little rainbow baby Tashi. She is the little ray of sunshine we wanted so badly… and also quite a handful! Which is why I’ve made the difficult decision to step down as Editor and focus on my graphic design business so I can work from home and spend as much time as possible with her.

My sincerest hope is that this newsletter continues to serve as a point of contact, support tool and hub of information for families who have experienced the loss of their baby, wether it was last week or decades ago.

From myself and my family, thank you to Amanda, Toni, Kelly and all the volunteers who give up their time and energy for this very worthwhile charity. I look forward to watching the newsletter, and Bears Of Hope as whole, grow and evolve in the future and continue to support families in their time of grief

With hope,

Rosalind Avellino Outgoing Newsletter Editor

We invite you to make a donation of any amount in memory of a precious baby this Christmas to help fund our support services. Feel free to leave a message of love or simply acknowledge their beautiful name during the process.

Donations of $15 or more by will receive a Christmas tree card to be hung on the Christmas tree.

Donations must be made before Friday 18th December to allow time for delivery of your card before Christmas Day. Postage within Australia only.

Make your donation via this donation platform only:

http://rememberthisdecember.gofundraise.com.au

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A Parent’s Story: Our Baby Peanut The 17th of September 2015 was without a doubt the happiest day of my life! On this day I found out I was pregnant with our much anticipated 1st child! I know every pregnancy is a miracle but mine is more so. You see getting pregnant naturally wasn't something I thought would ever happen to me. I have a long & painful history of endometriosis & Graves' disease & age isn't on my side. I just couldn't believe that we were so lucky! My partner was away overseas for work & I didn't want to tell him over the phone so I could only tell my cat the big news. I was jumping around the house like a mad woman telling my startled cat that she was going to be a big sister. She looked at me like I was crazy & simply turned her back on me & sauntered off down the hallway. What an anti climax!I made a doctor's appointment that day so all the relevant tests could be run. They all came back confirming the good news so it was all systems go!Luckily for me, my partner was coming home the next day. I couldn't wait to tell him that our dream holiday in the Maldives had made our biggest dream come true! My partner is a passionate surfer & I had the perfect way to announce our big news. Months earlier I had bought the cutest little baby suit that said "Born to go surfing with my daddy". Seriously it was the sweetest thing ever! The trip from the airport seemed to take forever! Finally we got home & I handed the wrapped baby suit to my partner. He immediately had to sit down & all he kept on saying for a while was 'wow', 'wow','wow'! It's safe to say he was as surprised as I had been! It’s funny isn't it that even though you're actively trying to get pregnant you're still in a state of shock when it actually happens!I'm very close to my Mum so we raced up to tell her our news. She was beyond excited! Then we rang my partner's parents who live interstate. We got them on face time & showed them the baby suit. They were so happy! A couple of days later we told my brother & sister in law & it was seriously one of the few times I have seen my brother speechless! My family all know that I've wanted to be a Mum for as long as I can remember so they were so thrilled for us! The nausea pretty much kicked in from conception it seems. It was awful but I tried to embrace it as I was so grateful plus I saw this as a good sign that everything was as it should be. It was difficult going to work trying to disguise how terrible I felt. A couple of my colleagues were pregnant & some colleague partners. I was happy for all of them thinking that I was going to be a part of this 'special club' soon.Now the logical part of my brain was telling me not to get ahead of myself. That I should wait until the 12 week mark before I bought anything etc. but the emotional part of my brain told me otherwise. I bought some nursery wall decals, a nappy bag & ordered some cute little baby suits. I gathered baby items I’d bought over the years from various cupboards around the house & my partner & I had even started discussing names.On the 9th of October we went for our 8 week scan. My OB was the same doctor who has performed my numerous operations for endometriosis. Like us he was surprised that we had managed to get pregnant by ourselves. The time for the scan came but no baby could be found. The OB told us that maybe I just ovulated later & we weren't as far along as we thought or it might not be a viable pregnancy. Those words ‘it might not be a viable pregnancy' rang in my ears & I went

hysterical. But after I calmed down I convinced myself that our dates were just wrong. We were rebooked in for another scan 5 days later. My partner was terrific throughout this. He came home & did a bit of research & reassured me that this sort of thing happened all the time. Over the coming days I did two more pregnancy tests & they both came back positive again, what a relief! We were both feeling completely confident that our baby would be found on the next scan.

My partner was away for my next scan so my Mum came with me. I wasn't nervous this time, I was just excited as I knew I would finally get to see our baby! I watched the ultrasound screen whilst holding my breath & there it was… our tiny little baby. I was feeling pretty smug with myself & wanted to yell out "see I told you there was a baby"! The OB was doing lots of measurements etc so I saw this as a good sign but then he said "it’s bad news I'm afraid, your baby has died". I was beyond devastated & couldn't understand why I hadn't known that the baby had died or why I was still feeling so sick & why all the pregnancy tests were coming back positive. I was so confused.

I then had to make the hardest phone call of my life to my partner. I didn't know what to say to him. I didn't know how to tell him that our dream was over. I felt like a complete failure. I tried to be strong but I couldn't. I just cried & cried & all I wanted to do was to hug him. I know he felt helpless being so far away & I know the news hit him as hard as it hit me.

The drive home was long. My Mum kept telling me to pull over until I stopped crying but I told her I didn't know if I would be able to stop crying. My Mum was brilliant & offered to come stay with me but I just wanted to be alone. I got home & just curled up in bed & sobbed like I'd never sobbed before. It got to the scary point where I couldn't breathe. My cat was traumatised by my cries so she disappeared!

My partner & I talked & cried a lot that night. I tried to reassure him that he was just as important as me in this scenario & people are concerned for him too. Naturally there's such a focus on the woman when a miscarriage occurs but I know my partner was just as invested in our baby as I was.

I find it strange that we're advised not to tell anyone we're pregnant until after the '12 week safe period' in case something bad happens. After all if something bad happens like in our case then that's when you need the support of your nearest & dearest. I just can't pretend that everything is okay when it's not.

They say 1 in 3 pregnancies results in miscarriage. Until a couple of weeks ago I hadn't known of any of my friends who had experienced one. I'm now beginning to wonder if that's true or whether it's something we don't just talk about. We absolutely should be talking about it, we shouldn't feel ashamed or isolated. Any woman who has been fortunate enough to fall pregnant knows that the bond & love you have for your baby is immediate & that's why a miscarriage is a death. Grief shouldn't be a lonely experience. We should be able to talk about our loss openly with family & friends without it being uncomfortable.

I know when people start finding out about our miscarriage they might think or say the cliche things like 'it's such a good sign that you got pregnant naturally in the first place' & 'there

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will be another baby' & deep down we have to believe that this is true. But we also want people to know that this baby will always be regarded as our 'first baby'. Even though it was only the size of a kidney bean our baby mattered, our baby counted.

My loving partner arrived home on Friday 16th of October & we headed straight from the airport to the hospital to remove our precious baby. It was a sad & tough day as this made it final… well in a physical sense anyway.

I have to believe that there are better days ahead for us. Ironically the baby suits I ordered just arrived so I guess these along with all the other baby items will be put away again in various cupboards around the house.

- Joanne Lowe

A Poem For Makayla

A Parent’s Story: Our Baby James I have found a lot of support from your website, and just wanted to share my story in the hopes that it might help another through their own grieving process. 

In May 2007 we lost our son, James, late in our pregnancy. We were overtaken with grief. One way that my husband and I dealt with this was by expressing ourselves through words and music. This song has given us strength and an outlet to process our grief. While going through the process of dealing with our loss, I wrote a poem. My husband read this and wrote the lyrics and music for "Watching Over Me". This is our tribute to our beautiful little boy.

No one quite understands the pain that parents go through when faced with the tragic loss of a child. We wanted to share our story in hope that it might give others strength and comfort in a desperate time.

Please feel free to listen via the link below and forward to anyone that you think that it might help.https://youtu.be/jd16pu748AI

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2015 Beards Of Hope The 2015 Beards Of Hope campaign raised $92,922.18 with 114 guys jumping on board to grow awesome beards over the winter. We are so humbled by the support given and the conversations that started, enabling such important

discussions within the community.

Our Highest Individual Fundraising award goes to Rymon Rizk for raising $6,866.40 in honour of his son, Miles. Rymon has become our overall highest individual fundraiser out of the 2014 and 2015 campaigns. Well done Rymon!

Our Highest Team fundraising award goes to Angel Williams for raising $8652.56. Thank you Shawn Williams, Brendon Williams, Clayton Williams, Chris Howard, Sam Howard, Terry Howard and Ben Deaves for participating in honour of Brooke and Shawn’s two precious babies. A huge thank you goes to Brooke for coordinating the fundraising including

holding a Teddy Bears Picnic event in her local town for the shave.

<<< The Best Beard Award was given to Andy Cutler

The Most Creative Beard award went to Chris Howard >>>

Thank you to the fundraisers who had articles in their local newspapers, to everyone who made a donation, especially to Son of Jack for donating a pack of Beard products this season and everyone involved to make it another wonderful Beards of Hope campaign.

Funds raised will go towards supporting dads and their families including retreats for couples and weekend retreats for the dads. Please keep up to date via our website and Facebook page for further information.

To join next year’s Beards Of Hope campaign please visit www.beardsofhope.com.au

With hope,

Toni Tattis Vice-President, Co-Founder and Fundraising Coordinator

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Brooke’s Fundraiser “Organising our Teddy Bear Picnic Fun Day was something I was very proud of to commemorate our two angel babies this year. It has been a terrible year and organizing this event kept me busy and has made me hope and look forward to what our future holds for us, and hopefully be blessed with another gorgeous bub.

We are blessed to have our little man Riley and are enjoying every moment with him at the moment. He kisses our little Bears of Hope often. Although he doesn't understand now, one day he will know that they represent the two younger siblings that he should have had. Thanks for giving us something to remember them by.”

- Brooke Howard

Some of Brooke’s family and friends recently took part in Beards Of Hope and their story was published by the Singleton Argus. You can read more here:

http://www.singletonargus.com.au/story/3078505/challenge-raises-hope/

Melissa’s Fundraisers On Friday the 30th October, Red Robin Kindergarten hosted their 2nd annual Teddy Bears Afternoon Tea in support of Bears of Hope.

One of Red Robin Kindergarten’s own staff members, Melissa, has been personally touched by Bears of Hope when she lost her two babies Isabella and Cooper. So it was a privilege to once again be able to give back to a charity that has provided huge amounts of support to one of our own and her family.

The afternoon was a huge success and the children and families attending had a wonderful time. They all brought in their teddy bears or furry friends to share the afternoon with. We hosted a raffle and shared a delicious afternoon tea. Melissa spoke about her personal experience in losing her two babies and the support and hope Bears of Hope provides to not only her and her family, but to many other families who are touched by the loss of their baby. Guests who attended the afternoon were touched that she was able to share her journey with them and were honoured to learn more about the charity we were raising funds for.

Through the kindness and generosity of the families and friends, Red Robin Kindergarten raised $500 during the Teddy Bears Afternoon Tea for Bears of Hope and are honoured to be able to donate this in memory of Isabella and Cooper Morrison.

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• If you would like your child acknowledged by others at Christmas, then tell them, whether it is to see their name in a Christmas card or to remember them with a toast during the Christmas festivities (many may be scared of doing this unless you tell them).

• On Christmas Day make time for yourself to escape if things become too much. A walk outside can really help reduce tension.

• If you can’t cope with the idea of Christmas at all then perhaps going away and doing something completely different can be an option.

• It can be difficult to know how to include your child in a card. Some parents choose not to send at all while others include their child’s name or a symbol to represent their child. One idea is to write “Love from X and Y and always remembering ………….”

• Develop a Christmas ritual involving your child. Maybe you can attend a candle lighting service with other bereaved parents, spend time at a special memorial place on your own or with others, or make/buy a special card or decoration for your child.

When we experience the trauma of loss, the Christmas period can have a shadow, a yearning for what might have been, an added poignancy. As difficult as this festive season can feel, I want you to know that you can survive it. When we delve into what really matters, we can see that the importance of this Christmas is that you do what feels right for you and that you are able to carry the loving memory of your child into this year and future Christmas times.

With hope,

Kelly Merchant Bereavement Support CounsellorPh: 1300 11 HOPEEmail: support@bearsofhope.org.au

’Tis the Season to be Jolly? It is the time of year where there is an expectation that all the crappy things that happen to us in the year will be forgotten as we come together and celebrate Christmas and that the pain we carry will be left behind… just for one day.

BUT… when a child has died, Christmas can be unbearably difficult. The whole world seems to be celebrating, everybody appears to be obsessed with preparations that confront us at every turn – in shops and streets, on TV and radio, in magazines and on the web and social media. Instead of feeling a connection to family there can be a feeling of alienation and isolation which can intensify our yearning for our child and our grief.

As we contemplate Christmas, especially in the early years of our bereavement, we wonder how we will survive. It is normal for parents to feel they just want to “cancel” Christmas. It may not feel the same as it was because our family unit is not the way it was intended to be. If this is the first year, it may be painfully different from previous years. We may find the anticipation and stress of what we “should” be doing very hard to deal with. Do we decorate the tree, send cards, give presents, attend a place of worship, join in the festive meal or go to a Christmas party?

If we have younger children with us at home, do we continue with important traditions of trips to the shops, the decorations, concerts or Christmas photos? Many bereaved parents find the run up to Christmas – with all the accompanying anticipation – can be more difficult to cope with than the actual day itself.

Here are some ideas that might help and support you as you prepare for the holiday season: Don’t allow other people to dictate to you how you should get through this extremely difficult time of year.

• Don’t feel you have to plan. Sometimes we don’t know what we will feel like doing until the last minute.

• Spend time with people who understand and avoid those who don’t.

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Hills Swimming is known world wide for its world class Baby and Preschool Program, along with excellence in School Age and Squad Swimming. Hills Swimming promotes learning to swim in a fun, relaxed, happy environment.

Polyglot Group is a team of passionate and professional consultants who assist businesses to expand and optimise their local operations, providing them with pragmatic and cost-effective solutions in Human Resources and Payroll Outsourcing, Recruitment, Language and Business.

Do you own a business? Bears Of Hope are searching for socially-minded businesses to support our mission and match donations to our charity.

Givematcher is an innovative online donation matching marketplace. Every dollar your business allocates to Givematcher allows them to drive a higher level of donations for Bears Of Hope directly from the public. Every donation matched doubles your business' social impact and does so in a visible way.

Individual donors are thrilled because they are given a unique opportunity to leverage their donation, which drives them to donate more. Who are these donors who want the opportunity of having your business match their charitable donations? They are your existing and potential customers and your employees.

By matching donations to Bears Of Hope you get to build goodwill, be more visible in your community support, advance your CSR, raise brand awareness, increase social recognition, attract new customers, connect with customers on a deeper level, align with the causes your customers / staff care about, and inspire your staff, and enjoy all of this free of charge.

You get to select your monthly budget and can change this at any time.

Please visit Givematcher’s website for further information https://www.givematcher.com.au

Bears Of Hope’s page on Givematcher https://givematcher.com.au/bears-of-hope-pregnancy-infant-loss-support

THANK YOU to the following businesses who are already matching donations to Bears Of Hope…

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At our Benefit Ball this year we premiered our new short film ‘HOPE’ which shares the stories of some

of our precious Angels and their families, and the impact their little Bear has had on their healing

process.

You can watch this beautiful film here:

https://vimeo.com/137310959

Bears Of Hope Apparel Our latest range of Apparel is available for purchase on thewebsite for those who are participating in fundraising events.

Unisex Adults T-Shirt $40Kid’s T-Shirt $35Women’s Running Singlet $40Men’s Running Singlet $40Embroidered Cap $40

T-shirts & running singlets can be personalised for just $10 extra.

Order online: http://www.bearsofhope.org.au/a/378.html

Would you like to raise funds for Bears Of Hope?

Bears Of Hope rely heavily on the community to fundraise to be able to continue our valuable support services. We are so grateful and thankful for all the amazing support we have received over the past 8 years.

We currently have fundraising licences forNSW, ACT, QLD, VIC, TAS, NT and SA.

If you reside in WA and would like to hold a fundraiser for Bears Of Hope, please get in touch with us:fundraising@bearsofhope.org.au

ALL fundraising, whether it is collecting donations, holding a raffle or trivia night, MUST be registered with Bears Of Hope BEFORE you begin fundraising.

Register here to receive your Fundraising Authority Number: http://bearsofhopecommunityevent.gofundraise.com.au/cms/fundraisingapplication

Make a huge difference with small change! Are you looking to support Bears Of Hope but have limited time?

We invite you to place a coin box collection at a local shop and help raise funds for Bears Of Hope.Very easy to set up! Money collected once a month! Minimal paperwork to complete!

Register your fundraising interest viahttp://bearsofhopecommunityevent.gofundraise.com.au/cms/fundraisingapplication

Or email fundraising@bearsofhope.org.au for more information

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The new 2015-16 Sydney Greater West Entertainment™ Memberships are available now and packed with thousands of up to 50% off and 2-for-1 offers.

This year you have the choice between the Entertainment™ Book Membership

and the new Entertainment™ Digital Membership!

From every Entertainment™ Membership we sell, 20% goes towards our fundraising!The more Entertainment™ Memberships we sell, the more we raise, so please tell your family and friends!

For just $65, you'll receive over $20,000 worth of valuable offers. Use just a few of these offers and you'll more than cover the cost of your Entertainment™ Membership.

Please remember to reference Bears of Hope Pregnancy & Infant Loss Supportwhen registering your 2015-16 Entertainment™ Membership.

ORDER NOW!

Or contact Melinda Parker with enquiries minna77@outlook.com

Ph: 0405 411 011

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Bears Of Hope Support Packages Bears Of Hope have a vision to offer personal guided support to all families before they leave the hospital from a miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal or infant loss. We hope to soften the devastating fall for parents by wrapping them in our love and support right from the very beginning and provide them with the most crucial information they need to know before leaving the hospital without their baby.

The "Bears Of Hope Gift Package" Project for our Early Support Program was launched throughout Maternity Hospitals of Australia in January 2011. Both our “Early Support” and “Beyond the Bear” Programs are highly supported but we need your help to continue this very important service.

We currently provide three Support Packages to meet the more personal needs of families:

Hope Package - Early Miscarriage Loss SupportDonated to support families who experience an early pregnancy losswhere they don't have the opportunity to see and hold their baby.

Sophie Package - Mid to Full Term Loss Support

Donated to support families who experience the loss of their baby duringand after birth who are not transferred to Intensive care. This is where familieshave the opportunity to see and hold their baby which includes late miscarriage,stillbirth and loss shortly after birth.

Xavier Package - Neonatal or Infant Loss Support

Donated to support families who experience the loss of their babywhilst in Intensive Care, Special Care Nursery or Paediatric Intensive Care Units.

Our Support Packages include: • A Bear of Hope keepsake: Sophie, Xavier or Hope teddy bears. • “Creating a Lifetime Of Memories In Just One Moment" Booklet: a must have guide for parents to create cherished memories with a ‘no regrets’ outlook, and to immediately connect parents with our parent support network. • A Candle. • Seeds of Hope (Forget-Me-Not Flowers). • Journal / Notepad and Pen• A Photo Frame with sunset and poem "A Life So Brief, A Child So Small, You Had The Power To Touch Us All". • Guidance Brochure for family and friends on how to support parents. • Standard Brochure about Bears Of Hope.• Our Song “Live Among Angels” on CD.

Our items are of high quality and each item has been deliberately chosen by our executive committee of bereaved parents, to meet the very early and ongoing needs of parents.

How you can help • Set our program up in your local hospital - Please contact us for further information.• Donate a Bears Of Hope Package in honour of your baby to a hospital• Create an online fundraiser for family and friends to honour your baby and support another family. All donations over $2 are tax deductible.

Allied Health Services Our Gift Packages come at no cost to hospitals across Australia. We can deliver as many as you need for as long as you need. If you find that there is something else you would like us to provide your families within this bag, or to omit, please let us know so that we can better assist you in your role. Please email contact@bearsofhope.org.au for more information.

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A child's journey through the loss of their baby brother or sister can be filled with sadness, confusion, anger, and loneliness. It can also be filled with incredible love and gentle remembrance.

“I Have a Baby Sister in Heaven” acknowledges and honours the special connection a grieving, young girl continues to have with her sister who now lives in heaven.

Purchase your copy here: www.tonitattis.com

Bears Of Hope has created it’s own beautiful song “Live Among Angels” to help grieving parents.

Please visit our website to purchase the CD: www.bearsofhope.org.au/a/269.html

Or visit iTunes to sample and download the song:www.itunes.apple.com/au/album/live-among-angels-bears-hope/id406221882

“Live Among Angels” Music CD

Bears Of Hope is proud to partner with Aurea Designs to bring you a range of Bears Of Hope Pregnancy & Infant Loss memorial jewellery items. We have worked closely with Aurea Designs to put together this range which represents and embodies Bears of Hope and all that it entails.

Furthermore, the relationship with Aurea Designs is not simply one in which jewellery is made, it is one where Aurea Designs will donate 10% of every piece of jewellery purchased by a Bears of Hope member to the Bears of Hope cause.

You can view and purchase pieces from this stunning collection here:www.bearsofhope.bigcartel.com/products

“I Have a Baby Sister In Heaven” by Toni Tattis

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Keep up to date with events and fundraisers throughout the year by visiting theBears Of Hope Fundraising Portal:

www.bearsofhopefundraisingportal.gofundraise.com.au/cms/home

Jewellery Collection

Facebook Getting on Facebook has been a great way for us to create pregnancy and infant loss awareness, help raise our profile and maintain regular contact with the community. Keep up to date with our program by Liking our Page and please recruit your family and friends. We also have a range of private support groups on Facebook so that parents, friends and family have the opportunity to connect with each other for support. Parents are also able to connect with each other

through the Bears Of Hope they have received and donated, as well as to build friendships with others who have experienced baby loss. These groups are closed and secret so you will need to request to join.

Twitter You can now also follow us on Twitter to get the latest updates on our events, sponsors and fundraisers. We welcome you to communicate with us, retweet our posts and help spread the word!

Support Groups Our parent-led groups are a wonderful avenue to make connections, develop friendships and feel supported throughout your grief journey. Some of our groups are also facilitated by a psychologist and are a free service to families.

Please note: there may be other bereaved mums that are in a subsequent pregnancy that attend these meetings. These are informal gatherings of bereaved parents – neither Bears Of Hope, it’s management nor it’s volunteers will be liable for any damages whatsoever arising out of, or in any way related to the groups.

New South Wales

Hills DistrictVenue: Garden Room Level 1, Castle Grand,At: Cnr Castle & Pennant Streets, Castle HillTime: 7.00-9.00pm When: First Friday of the Month• Dinner can be arranged at an additional cost. Facilitated by our Psychologist, Sally Findley, who is available during the evening at no cost to you.

Northern BeachesVenue: Nelson Heather CentreAt: 2-6 Jackson Rd Warriewood

(carpark entry via Boondah Rd)Time: 7.30-9.30pmWhen: Last Wednesday of the Month• Facilitated by our Psychologist, Sally Findley, who is available during the evening at no cost to you.

SutherlandVenue: Stapleton Avenue Community Centre

Meeting Room 2**We will also be running a 6-week Grief Workshop, please email to register your interest**At: Cnr Stapleton Road and Belmont StreetsTime: 7.30pm - 9.30pm When: First Tuesday of the Month• Light refreshments are provided.

Central CoastVenue: Meeting Space 2, Erina CentreAt: The Hive, Erina Fair Time: 7.00-10.00pm When: Third Friday of the Month

Queensland

BrisbaneVenue: Annerley HallAt: 8 Waldheim Street, Annerley Time: 7.30-9.30pm When: First Wednesday of the Month

• To RSVP for any of our scheduled Support Groups please email support@bearsofhope.org.au

• Casual support groups and Coffee Meetings are also available in the Central Coast, Newcastle, Singleton and Penrith. Please email support@bearsofhope.org.au if you are interested.

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Play Groups Bears Of Hope Playgroups are an opportunity for siblings to play and comfortably talk about their Angel brother or sister with other children that understand what it is like. We welcome any mums that are expecting a new baby after a loss as this is an opportunity to talk to others that have been through a pregnancy since their loss also.

SydneyVenue: KenthurstTime: 10:30am-1:30pmWhen: First Tuesday of each MonthRSVP: support@bearsofhope.org.au• Please bring a plate of something to share.

Central CoastTime & venue varies - please email support@bearsofhope.org.au for information.

Skype Support A Skype 10-week Grief Support Workshopis proposed for each Thursday evening from 7.30-8:30pm. Max 6 people to the group.Facilitated by a Counsellor.

Requires you to have Skype installed. Suitable for those that are approx.12months from the date of loss.

The next workshop has not yet been scheduled. Please email support@bearsofhope.org.au for more information or to register your interest. Available to Australian Residents only.

We need more Support Group Leaders! If you are interested in becoming a Support Group Leader, hosting a Play Group or a organising casual Coffee Meeting, please email support@bearsofhope.org.au or call 1300 11 HOPE.

Stamped with Love offers high quality hand stamped jewellery. Each piece is uniquely Hand Stamped With Love, making each letter and piece individual - not perfect, just gorgeous! Stamped With Love will donate 15% of your purchase to Bears Of Hope, upon mention of our name during checkout.

http://stampedwithlove.com.au/

Hanako Therapies herbal blends are formulated to support the mind, body and soul. 15c from every bottle sold worldwide will be donated to Bears of Hope.

http://www.hanakotherapies.com/pages/our-story

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Aurea Designs will donate 10% of every piece of jewellery purchased by a Bears of Hope member to the Bears of Hope cause. This includes all jewellery, from a stunning custom

made engagement ring, premium Raymond Weill watches through to remodelling of jewellery you already own. It also includes the Bears Of Hope Jewellery Range. Remember to mention Bears Of Hope when making your purchase: www.aureadesigns.com

Keep It Unique Keepsakes will donate 15% of your sale to Bears Of Hope upon mention of our name. www.keepitunique.com.au

Our Generous Partners

Little Silver Prints will donate 15% to Bears Of Hope from all orders from the Bereavement/Remembrance range.www.littlesilverprints.com.au

www.acs-group.com.au

Lily Pilly Candles will donate $10 to Bears Of Hope with every purchase of their candle fragrance “Angel”.https://www.facebook.com/Lilypillycandles

Herbert Smith Freehills is an Australian-based international law firm. They back up their commitment to providing innovative, commercial legal advice to clients around the world, with the resources and expertise of around 1000 lawyers, including more than 200 partners across offices in Australia and South-East Asia.

Their support and advice is invaluable and their commitment to our program is incredible. They do all our work for Bears Of Hope pro-bono and we are incredibly grateful. See their website for more info: www.herbertsmithfreehills.com

Classy Candles is a family owned and operated online custom & personalised candles business. Each candle design is carefully crafted to create a unique personalised gift or keepsake.

Classy Candles will donate $5 to Bears Of Hope for every BOH Remembrance Candle purchased.

http://www.classycandles.com.au

www.bearsofhope.org.au