Most people associate October with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and it is, but I think most of the other causes get left out and one that is important to me is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Month. On October 15th is the day to help all grieving parents and families to remember that we are here for them and surround them with love.
You may not know it, unless you have experienced it yourself, but according to the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention in 2000 about 15.6% of pregnancies in the US ended in miscarriage or stillbirth. In recognition of this day, everyone is asked to light a candle on October 15th around 7 PM in every time zone from all over the world. A candle is very easy to find and if each time zone keeps theirs burning for at least an hour there would be a continuous Wave of Light over the entire world.
There is a website called www.october15th.com that gives some special messages to grieving parents as well as different activities and walks to participate. There is also www.firstcandle.org that speaks of other ways to help.
I did not want to really share my experience, just know that there are several people that I know that have been through this, as well as myself. What is the old saying, everyone you meet has their own battles, so try to be kind.
Even if you do not know anyone who has suffered this type of loss, it could be because they do not want to share it or talk about it. It is quite personal and different from most other kinds of organizations. It is empowering to say, yes I have cancer but I will fight it; it is something else altogether to say yes I lost a baby help me light a candle.
I would light a candle and just leave it lit for about an hour – maybe outside (just so you don’t burn anything). Attend an event if it is near you – it’s not hard or really asking much. If you really want to get involved – look events up on the internet and find an activity to help.