Kristen, Spreading HOPE for Carly
Ambassador Kristen rademacher, fundraising in memory of carly
“I'm approaching the 20th anniversary of losing Carly. She was stillborn in my 41st week of pregnancy and was my only child.
Looking back on those early months when I was reeling with grief, I could not envision a future where I would feel joy again. Not only had my baby died, but I'd ended the relationship with her father and lost the dream of motherhood. I'd felt like a stranger to myself and a spectator in a world that seemed to overflow with mothers, babies, and happy families.
Fast-forward to today and I can see that time transformed the grief, and that grief transformed me. Through journaling and letter-writing to Carly, I was able to make sense of my experience and cultivate a connection with my daughter. She is still very much a part of my life, and I have a book filled with my letters to her. As cliché as it might sound, time helped me to accept my loss, live with the sorrow, and find ways to feel joy again. I learned to trust that waves of grief would come and go and that I could survive them. I learned to look for beauty in the world, despite sometimes feeling like I’d been dealt a bad hand; hiking along a wooded trail among songbirds can still lift me out of a sad mood. Same with listening to music, reading, or watching my nieces and nephews make their way into adulthood. There is joy after a devastating loss!
After losing Carly two decades ago, I had no choice but to build a new life for myself that excluded motherhood. While I will always mourn what could have been, I am fulfilled and grateful for what I do have: people to love including a life partner, family, and friends; meaningful work; and the capacity to feel hope. I thank Carly for these gifts.
The loss of a baby is uniquely isolating. RTZ HOPE provides pathways to connect with others who have suffered similar losses, creating critical lifelines that can alleviate isolation.”
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 Kristen’s fundraiser in honor of Carly. 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.