WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — Families who lost a baby during pregnancy gathered for a support walk Saturday morning in Washington Township. It was the biggest turnout ever for the annual event to begin Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.
Losing a child is a pain no parent should ever experience, and to have that loss during pregnancy leaves families grasping for answers and unsure how to proceed. Dara Sawyer, with the Tears Foundation, lost her son Charles a decade ago and said events like the South Jersey Rock and Walk bring people together.
"We're trying to break the stigma that people don't want to talk about child loss. October is so important, and we’re trying to raise awareness. We want to see pink and blue everywhere in October," she said.
"What we do is we raise money all year long to help with burial costs with families who lose their babies because obviously when you’re pregnant, you don’t plan for that," explained the foundation's Melissa Cain, who helped organize the walk.
"You plan for the happily ever after, so it kind of hits you like a ton of bricks. All of a sudden, you're faced with all these decisions and a lot of times you don't have the money set aside."
Families walked with matching t-shirts honoring children lost during pregnancy or shortly after.
Jennifer Wellings lost her daughter at 39 weeks pregnant. She was at the walk to support other parents going through dark days.
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"Some of my friends that I still talk to today are part of a support group that I sought out after I lost my daughter Claire," she said.
"Going to that group really helped me work through my own feelings and made me feel like I wasn't alone, so I think that pulled me out of a hole for sure."
Wellings said anyone who hears this and is struggling should look for a support group online to help them understand better days are ahead.
"It makes you feel like you're not alone," she said. "It's empowering, too, because it's a very isolating event."