Special Service of Remembrance to be held at Derriford Hospital

There will be a special service of remembrance for parents who have experienced bereavement through the loss of a pregnancy or death of a baby. The service will take place on Sunday 6 October at 2pm and will be held in the chapel on level seven at Derriford Hospital. The Chapel will be also be open from 1.00pm for the opportunity to meet other parents and talk things over with a chaplain, as well as for personal and private acts of remembrance if desired.

The service will then include:

 Readings, reflections and prayers;
 The reading of names of babies among those remembered who have died during pregnancy or shortly after birth;
 The presentation of a white rose to each mother as they leave.

Paul Snell, Lead Hospital Chaplain, said: “Every first Sunday in October and March, mums and dads, family and friends come together to remember their special baby who didn’t make it through to childhood. Such a loss is particularly difficult because the all important memories that parents cherish are absent.

“Being able to share the feelings we experience brings an opportunity to support one another in similar situations and our Service of Remembering Together does just that. We hope that by taking time to think about those precious lives alongside other families who travel the same path, the resulting mutual support can bring hope and healing. This simple service is available to all who have lost a baby during pregnancy or at or after birth, either in recent times or perhaps many years ago, and is open to anyone who would like to share in it.”