Erin, Spreading HOPE for Finnegan Cooper
Erin Jinkins, sharing her story in memory of Finnegan Cooper
“My husband and I found out we were expecting our first child on Father’s Day of 2023. We felt so blessed to have embarked a new journey in our short few years of marriage. We had our first appointment, where we were over the moon to hear our baby’s heartbeat. A month later, we went to our next check up where we completed genetic testing. We received the results that our baby would most likely be born with Down Syndrome. While this news was not what we anticipated, we knew that there was nothing we would change about our journey. We continued to get excited and guess the gender of our baby (we would not find out until birth). Fast forward to Christmas, the doctors noticed fluid buildup around Finn’s lungs. I underwent in total 3 procedures to drain the fluid from his lungs, as well as the surplus of amniotic fluid from me. Finn developed hydrops, which is 95% fatal in newborns. I was rushed to delivery, where I gave birth to our beautiful Finn Cooper. Finn was immediately rushed to the high tech NICU, where we were told that there was nothing more than could be done, and he likely would not survive the night. Our beautiful boy gave us the gift of 7 whole days together. While this experience was by far the hardest my husband and I will ever experience, it has given us a whole new perspective on life. To enjoy and cherish, and live in the moment, and not to rush through life to just mark an item on a checklist. Finn and his short time on Earth has shown us how to love someone more than life itself, and the beauty in small things that we take for granted - opening your eyes, breathing, crying. While it is difficult, we chose to honor Finn by talking about him, using his name, buying him books for his nursery we know that he would have loved. While every day will continue to bring heartbreak, it also brings us small reminders of our beautiful baby boy.
RTZ has helped in so many ways. I think the biggest way it has helped me is that is has normalized my feelings and shown me a network (unfortunately) of individuals who have experienced this pain, as it is really difficult to relate to friends and family. RTZ has also emphasized honoring our babies and their stories - keeping the memories fresh and alive.”
October is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month.
Our HOPEtober annual event honors all losses on the journey to parenthood.
Even though so many of us have experienced pregnancy or infant loss, or know someone who has, it is a loss that exists in the shadows. As bereaved parents, we feel isolated and alone. But together, we can shine a light on pregnancy and infant loss, helping others to live a life that holds both grief and joy.
HOPEtober Luminaries partner with us during the month of October to be an advocate and ambassador in spreading awareness and shining a light on pregnancy and infant loss. By sharing our stories we’re bringing awareness to pregnancy and infant loss, as well as the resources and support that exist through Return to Zero: Hope. As a nonprofit, raising awareness and funds are essential to our cause and support programs.
We'd be grateful if you you would consider making a contribution to Erin's fundraiser in honor of Finnegan Cooper. 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.
This year our goal is to raise $75,000 during the month of October so that we can continue spread hope and healing by providing resources and support to grieving families and their care providers.
Thank you for helping to shatter the silence around pregnancy & infant loss.