Katrina, Spreading HOPE for Zeo & Solis
Katrina dela Cruz, sharing her story in memory of Zeo & Solis
“The sun shone brightest the day my Zeo, 19 weeks and 6 days in my womb, returned to the sky. It was summer solstice, and my partner and I had been faced with weeks of agony as we were forced to make the worst decisions parents ever must make for their children. Our baby had multiple terminal fetal anomalies, the result of the rare chromosomal disorder, Trisomy 18, or Edwards syndrome. It was devastating, to say the absolute least. About two months following the TFMR, I became very unexpectedly pregnant with Solis. Yet it wasn't to be, and the pregnancy culminated in a missed miscarriage. I needed multiple rounds of medication to clear my body, and bled over Zeo's due date.
The deaths of my two Spirit babies did not just shatter me as an individual, they ravaged my relationship with their father. My Spirit somehow remains strong, even on the hardest days, when spirituality seems a moot point on the Earth axis. Almost two years since these losses, the hardest days are also fewer and farther in between, miraculously. I am grateful and in awe of the interconnectivity of all life, and all death. I am a therapist and a healer by calling and by trade, and my losses have transformed my practice and the way I walk in the world. Motherhood has heightened my sensitivity and intuition, and my ability to hold and transmute space.
My loss mama community has been a source of vitality and unexpected levity. If you are here with us now, I see you, and I am so sorry for all that you have had to endure. May you have the support that you deserve as a member of a club that no one wants to belong to. May you continue to mother and nurture yourself, even amongst the many responsibilities you inevitably have. May you remember the hope and healing that you always carry within. You have done the hardest thing, so know that you can do anything. ”
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 Katrina’s fundraiser in honor of Zeo & Solis.. 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.