SHARE Atlanta

Spring Sprung!!

SHARE Atlanta Walkers and Sponsors are AWESOME!! A BIG THANK YOU to them and to our co-captain CINDY IVEY!!! We had some INCREDIBLE TOP walkers and several of our members greatly increased their donation level from the last few years! I am pulling together a mini-newsletter with our story from our 2013 March for Babies Campaign that just ended on May 31! I also will be posting our pictures on FB. We continue to be the only Family Team to earn our own TENT through our donation level. Because we have our own tent, we can tie our balloons in memory of our babies on to our TENT AND meet parents who need our support DURING the walk. It is a unique gift that we achieve each year. Again, A HUGE SHOUT OUT of THANKS to CINDY IVEY!!

Pictures of our 2012 #1 TEAM!!

Past SA's MODS' pictures on FB

A Lovely Memorial Brick at SA's Angel Garden

Order Memorial Brick - Once Per Year Orders...by August 15 - These will be placed by the fall holidays.

- August 15 is the date for getting your memorial brick order to Jennifer. This link provides the information to order a pathway or a keepsake memorial brick. We offer this very special memento once a year. At the end of the website page, you will find a link to the SA Angel Garden and Path's story.

Many of our parents share their memories here in our garden. It was created by SA parents for parents who have experienced a pregnancy or newborn loss. Many families who do not have a grave site to visit have honored their special baby with a memorial brick in our garden. Even those who do have another memorial site for their baby, find that our garden is a very special haven for peace and comfort. It is like all of our precious babies and memories come together in this lovely garden. We thank SA parents, Joe and Polly Keen (who designed and built the garden) for keeping it so lovely.

SHARE Atlanta's Angel Garden Video

Angel Garden and Memorial Bricks Video In 2009 SA mom, Reece Ritter, created this beautiful video that brings together visually the “story” of SA’s Angel and Memorial Brick Garden.

SA Members at Women's Group Meeting

SA's Meetings- Times, Details of Monthly Topics, Directions

Women's Group - 3rd Wednesday of each month - 7 pm

Men and Women's Group - We will not be holding this group this summer. IF you are interested in such a meeting, please email Marcia your thoughts.

In our meetings, we acknowledge that healing does happen. We explore ways for it to happen. We are here to embrace one another's healing journey. There are similar ways of coping and similar parts of our stories though each person's journey is unique to him or her. It is a very comforting and healing time together.

"Grief and Secondary Losses" - June's Topic.

Our primary loss is our precious baby...secondary losses are feelings and concepts like the loss of: innocence, hope, communication with others, self-worth, role of parenting, and a host of others. We will share what these are, how they influence our grief pattern and ways to cope with them.

We will talk about how grief influences our emotions (sadness, anger, guilt, fear, etc.) and ways to identify our feelings and cope with them. We are on the "yo-yo" pattern of grief from the moment we learn about the loss of our child. These emotions tied with the secondary losses are what carry us down the path.

"Grief and Our Relationships" - August's Topic

We combine the topics of the two proceeding months (secondary losses - loss of: innocence - role or parenting a living child - self-worth - control - hope and the stages/emotions of grief: sadness, panic, denial, shock, release, confusion, etc) and see how every relationship is influenced by these losses and emotions and that our relationships are reflected in our emotions and losses.

"Grief and Future Choices" - September's Topic

We look at how the timeline of grief influences the way we think and reflect about our choices on the path of "what will be." We discuss pre-subsequent pregnancy doctor consultations, birth plans, and other options that parents might be considering.

Megan Groover, Alyse Jones, Marcia McGinnis, (nurse-Connie Henry), and Mindy Seger
March 2013 Wellstar Inservice

Megan, Alyse, and Mindy joined me in March at SA's "Circle of Healing" Inservice. We had 50 nurses from hospitals around Atlanta. Grady had the greatest number of nurses. We gave out door prizes of 5B's program, Hugs from Hunter Kleenex boxes, and other supportive items for them to take to their hospitals. We shared about the process of grief, "what to say/do and not to say/do" and ways to help parents to "parent" their baby. It was a very special time..followed by lunch at Marietta Diner! Thanks to all who joined us..YOU ARE AWESOME!! (Also, pictured here is Connie Henry..the nurse who first had me speak back in 2008. I have done 11 inservices for Wellstar Development Center since then! She is such a wonderful lady! It was good to see her. ) mm

Inservices for Awareness and Advocacy..Marcia McGinnis' "The Circle of Healing" provides information for nurses, social workers, chaplains, student nurses, Stephen Ministry, etc.

Father's Day

Father's Day, like Mother's Day, is very difficult time for our parents. Mothers and Fathers, please remember that you are a very special mommy and daddy to very dear babies. There are ideas for approaching these days on our website and FB page. We always talk about ways to cope with these holidays in our groups.

Father's Grief Menu and Father's Day Pages

Coping Suggestions...Mementos, Ideas, etc. (Kim's bracelets and Dana's Portraits are a special ways to honor these days or any special time in your life that you wish to honor and remember your precious baby.)

SA's 5Bs: Blankets, Buntings, Bonnets, Bracelets and Booties 11.08 Mini-Newsletter- Consider making some items in memory of your baby for holidays or anniversaries. Bring them to a meeting or to Marcia's home to make sure they have SA information in them and we will distribute them to hospitals.

Thank you to all who have helped SA in the many ways that are possible. WE are WHO we are because of those who volunteer and who support us. Here is a link that tells more about SA: http://www.shareatlanta.org/legacy/cirhealingsatimeline2011.pdf

Archived Newsletters since 2004 Link

SA in more recent NEWS and Ways that "Healing Happens."

We have had newsletters since 1985. Advocacy, Awareness, Support, and Healing have been our focus for all of these years. Many of those who shared in these newsletters are still active volunteers with SA!! They healed, found hope and peace, and give back to SA in memory of their special babies..also to thank others who helped them during their difficult path. Come join us..as our mission continues.

Together we can make a difference. Please consider joining us at one of our meetings or events. You will find comfort and support. It is never too late to come and join us..healing happens over time - as you can let it happen.

It means much to hear from you via email. If you have a moment to write, let us know where you are in your healing journey.

SA's FB Page FULL of pictures and Information

Take care,

Marcia

The love stays..forever in our hearts.

Since 1984

Pregnancy and Infant Loss
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