In 2019, WNYPBN, Inc. was chosen to be a part of the Grief Initiative, funded by the New York Life Foundation, and produced by WPSU Penn State. This public service media project featured one of our Network family members. They were able to share their journey of the loss of their baby girl. The documentary is 60 minutes in length and shares diverse representations of grief and mourning and how families find ways to incorporate the person they lost, into their new reality with loving remembrance. The initiative hopes to convene a national conversation about grief that will help the bereaved and provide guidance to companions on how to offer meaningful support. The documentary can be viewed anytime at speakinggrief.org. We encourage you to watch the documentary and share the link with your family members and friends.
We hope that this documentary and the Grief Initiative produced by WPSU Penn State will help bring light to not only to the struggles of grieving, but the public stigma surrounding the issue of loss due to miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, and early infant death which causes so many in our community to suffer in silence. We feel that welcoming this project helps to fulfill our mission to bring a greater awareness to this particular adversity for those experiencing perinatal loss.
As a part of the initiative, The New York Life Foundation created a book dedicated to the children and families who have lost a loved one. If you have bereaved children in your household, we would like for you to view the electronic copy of the book, The Golden Sweater, accompanied by the resource sheets on discussing the book with your child. We ask that you read the book and resource sheets prior to sharing this book with your children. Talking about the death of a family member can be difficult, but it is the story and sharing that make it a little easier to discuss a difficult subject.
Resource Materials for the discussion with your child.
Kai’s Journey Discussion Guide – Information for grieving families.
A bereaved mother, Megan Torres (also featured in the Speaking Grief movie), reads the book, The Golden Sweater. If you do not have a copy of the book, please feel free to watch this video with your children.
We would like to thank WPSU – Penn State, The New York Life Foundation, and bereaved mother, Megan Torres, and her family for sharing their journey of the loss of her daughter, Nova Marie. We would also like to thank all of our Network families that attended the 2019 Wings of Love Parents Day Breakfast that is also featured in the documentary. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the WNYPBN office at (716) 626-6363.
Due to the restrictions and safety precautions required by New York State because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the WNYPBN has to restructure our annual events. In response to this series of unfortunate circumstances, the creative team has come up with alternatives to our annual events, while still paying tribute to your beautiful babies and helping others who are in need of assistance after the loss of their babies, while keeping our community safe.
Please visit our Events tab for information about our upcoming 2022 Events and Fundraisers. We hope you are all able to participate in one or all of our events as we adapt to our “New Normal” and continue to stay in good health and be safe. We are grateful for your support!
Thank you, Emily, Christine, Sue, Kelly and our Event Volunteer Committee
