Amalia, Spreading HOPE for Cherry Bean
Ambassador Amalia Murray
, Fundraising in memory of Cherry Bean
“We lost our daughter Cherry Bean in the second trimester through a Termination for Medical Reasons. It was the saddest day of my life, but I knew in my heart then and now that it was the only choice. She taught me selfless love, a wail that I didn't know existed for mothers after immediately losing their child, and a strength afterwards that I didn't know I had in myself. Suddenly, trivial conversations felt banal. I no longer had space or time for people that couldn't support me in the way that I needed. I learned that self-care is of the utmost importance. The grief that I've experienced taught me how to better support others in grief. Our nickname for her, Cherry Bean, gave us something tangible to remember her by. Cherry picking, cherry soda, and cherry jewelry make me happy. I'm so grateful for the change that my daughter effected in me, and I can already see how she's made the world a better place.
RTZ Hope allowed me to heal to a place I would never be without their resources and support. I needed more than therapy, I felt isolated and couldn't function day-to-day. Luckily RTZ Hope was holding an in-person retreat just a few hours from home, a couple months after my loss. The 4 days and 3 nights of intensive workshops and community truly changed my mindset. It gave me tools I could use to better process the loss of my daughter, rituals, and physical reminders to keep her close, so that I could begin to turn the pain into acceptance and beauty. Most importantly, I joined a supportive and empathetic community of women that knew what I was going through, no matter how our losses differed.
Beyond the retreat, I discovered articles on their blog that I could share with my friends and family to help them understand what I was going through. I joined a support group specific to TMFR, which gave me solidarity and a commitment to our right of choice, particularly since Roe vs Wade had just been overturned. I even participated in a holiday workshop to make art that brought me closer to my baby. There is never a shortage of ways that RTZ hasn't figured out how to help us in the loss community, whether the birthing parent or partner. I consider the women I've met through the RTZ Hope community some of my closest and dearest friends today, and would encourage any person dealing with loss to find community to accelerate the healing process.”
Pregnancy and infant loss is an unique type of loss, leaving the grievers to feel isolated and unsure of how to move forward. We'd be grateful if you you would consider making a contribution to Amalia’s fundraiser in honor of Cherry Bean. Your gift ensures that other parents who endure loss on their journey to parenthood have the support, resources, and community they need in order to navigate life after loss.
With your support, here’s what we were able to accomplish during 2022 (2022 Annual Report):
Fifty percent of support group participants received financial support to ensure that all parents have access to services.
Enhanced outreach to and created support services for Black, Indigenous, and other Communities of Color as a response to the alarming rate of preterm births and stillbirths caused by racial disparities in perinatal and infant health.
Offered 50 different support group programs (virtual workshops, virtual support groups, and in-person retreats) to our community of bereaved families.
Supplied our unique perinatal bereavement guides to 400 hospitals and providers to assist in caring for grieving families.
Hosted 10 perinatal bereavement education webinars to parents and providers.
Created community and spread awareness about pregnancy and infant loss through social media.