Mary Britt, Spreading HOPE for JJ

Ambassador Mary Britt ferguson, Sharing in memory of jj

“I lost my first child, my son JJ to SIDS/SUID in November of 2021. He was born in June 2021 and we had five precious months full of joy with him before he passed unexpectedly in his sleep. Our loss completely wrecked us and changed everything about how I thought my life would ever look. We are forever changed but I think I’m a better person now for it. I have made incredible friends through the loss community who have helped me through my darkest days and kept me going. We still talk about JJ every day and he is still a part of our family and always will be. We still include him in all family traditions. We host a 5K each year for his birthday to raise money for SIDS research. We will never stop sharing his story. ”

Pregnancy and infant loss is a unique type of loss, leaving the grievers to feel isolated and unsure of how to move forward. We'd be grateful if you would consider making a contribution to RTZ HOPE. 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.

Shianne Gundersen