Archive: Nov 2024

Name
Anonymous Please
Referred by?
We received a bear today at the hospital

Comments

Today our journey ended. Two and half years of fertility treatments, seven rounds of IVF, that we have done in silence with only the closet to us knowing this journey.
So this is our story I can’t possibly tell you what a bear meant to me/us today and will mean to us as we rebuild around the pain.
When we met, it wasn’t an instant love but it was fast I (F) was older 42 in fact, he had never planned on having children even though he was only 30. Within a few months I was diagnosed with early stage cancer I was lucky I recovered quickly and through every single bit of it he was there. It was then in that time we decided the only thing greater than our love would be to have a child of our own. And we conceived quickly and naturally, but suffered an early loss. Given my age we sought help, they could find absolutely no reason apart from age that this wouldn’t work for us, you name it we have done it. Finally the very last embryo made it, and with it our dream future was so much closer. Having had so many setbacks we chose to only tell our very closest and dearest people. When we saw the heartbeat my/our hearts were beyond full. I promised myself wouldn’t complain about the sickness or the effects of IVF hormones. I would take it all. But since I am here we know it made no difference.
I have been so grateful to have the best medical care team over the last few weeks, but as I arrived at the hospital today for the final medical stages of losing our baby the grief was overwhelming both for the loss of our baby and for the end of the journey. I couldn’t speak and simply sobbed uncontrollably, again my care team were amazing and a unit manager came in with a bear of hope bag, she only briefly explained the bag as she felt I was overwhelmed and I was on my way to theatre. She said I fully believe you need this, later when you have some strength you can look through it and know you are not alone. When I woke up still or again sobbing I was taken to a private room to be with my family and there on the shelf was the bag. I/we didn’t leave the hospital completely empty, I/we had been given this small bear that honoured two babies. And for the first time in last couple of weeks I didn’t feel quite so alone. This part of our journey has ended, the future we saw so fleeting is gone, we will build a new future and have different dreams. But as we hadn’t told many it didn’t feel fair or justified to be grieving especially when it’s a late first trimester loss, like everything else we have kept it to ourselves except for just a few people. Now a small bear has allowed me to know it was all real, our baby was real, the grief and the loss are real and we are not alone. In honouring Rylie and Roxi, you have given me the gift of honouring our baby we will never hold and there are no words that will ever convey our thanks for giving us this.
And there are no words that will ever convey how sorry I am for the loss of Rylie and Roxi.

Name
Aubrey Rose Flannery Kauter

Comments

Dear family of Emma Hope Goulding,

We received a bear in Emma’s honour after the loss of our beautiful baby boy Aubrey at 19 days old of SIDS. Thank you so much for this bear, it means a lot to us.

Emma and Maxine

Name
Nicola Smith
Referred by?
LGH - Short Stay Surgical Ward

Comments

I received the bear after going through a really tough miscarriage of my own baby on the 10/11/2024.

Name
Kirsten Chirgwin
Referred by?
Hospital

Comments

Thank you to Skyla’s family for the bear. This was my third miscarriage and it was such a pure gesture of love and solidarity to receive from another family who have also experienced a heartbreaking loss.

Name
Caitlin Cox
Referred by?
Through the information pamphlets provided at the hospital after miscarrying my daughter

Comments

The pain and grief is still so raw after losing our little girl last week. I cuddle this bear every single day and night.
I hope that one day instead of crying, I can think of my beautiful baby girl and smile

Name
Shelley Smith
Referred by?
The hospital

Comments

Praying for your babe as I do my own 🙏🏻

Name
Amanda Newton
Referred by?
Royal North Shore Hospital

Comments

It has taken two years to register the bear given to us by the hospital in memory of Isaac Walsh. Our baby, Olivia, lived for 3 days, similar to Isaac’s 4 days. To the family of Isaac, I hope you see this. Thank you for your bear. We think of Isaac and our Olivia often. We wish things were different, for your family, and for ours.

Name
Kimberley Taber
Referred by?
I received a bear of hope

Name
Bree McCabe

Comments

Thank you for your donation. Your bear reached us in our lowest time when we lost our daughter Luka in May 2024.
I am so sorry you have also experienced this pain

Name
Laura Hopkins

Comments

We received Isabella’s bear after the loss of our baby Sarah on 26/10/24. I hope our girls are up there playing together.