SHARE Atlanta - Pregnancy and Newborn Loss Grief Support

The creation of the website had many meanings around it for me.

Few really "know" the story because it has not been an easy one for me to fully face, myself. Many needs were fulfilled with this site...a true labor of love and the outreach went both ways. I needed to know I could still "do" at a time in my life when I was losing so much. The good news is that we have a site, new and wonderful friends, and life does go on...even when it is at the hardest...we have proven that over and over again.

So, here is the "rest of the story...."

In 1995-6, we began to think we needed a website. Roger Deane, SHARE Atlanta dad, came to a business meeting to discuss what that might mean for us. He had done research on sites that were "out there" - which, at that time, was, for the most part, the SANDS group out of Austrialia. He did a small sample site for us and offered to get it on the internet if and when we wanted to proceed with it. None of us on the board really had any computer awarenss at that time so we were really not sure what to do.

In June of 1995, my personal life was turned upside down when I developed a chronic illness that limited my ability to do those things that I held most dear. Over the next few months as I tangled with it, I learned more about the computer as I explored my illness. Then, I actually used developing the SHARE Atlanta website as a coping mechanism to deal with the many secondary losses from the chronic illness! So, I slowly developed some skill with the computer and website creation. An interesting turn of events, if I do say so myself.

Roger helped set up the initial interactive pages because he knew the code to do that. Roger, and his wife, Taylor, financed our Mindspring account while I learned (much from my two sons and husband..all computer wise) how to do HTML, how to find "cute" graphis online, and more than I had ever hoped about the internet. I will never claim to be "good", but I have been blessed by the website. It helped me to keep my outlook positive by keeping me connected to people in the pregnancy and newborn loss community when my own personal mobility was (and is) severly limited.

The parents who I have befriended through the years (I put the site online in April of 1997) have meant much to me. I still regularly correspond with some of my initial moms who wrote me about their losses in 1997.

I thank Roger and Taylor, my family of male computer nerds, the SHARE Atlanta group for believing in me, and for the strength from God to keep going when things looked not too good. Roger and Taylor have continued to financially support our site all of these years, and this past year Roger put it on his company's server. He also helps on technical issues at times. Together, SHARE Atlanta parents from around the world have now offered support to one another for over 7 years. Marcia McGinnis

"Marcia's Story" Menu