A temporary ‘Ribbon Display’ has been put in place in Portadown as a “physical remembrance memorial” for babies and pregnancies lost.
Hosted at 22 Church Street, this special display will remember all babies lost, with the public invited to remember theirs too.
Diana Varela has organised the display in cooperation with the baby loss charity Sands, with the aim of marking Baby Loss Awareness Week.
Ribbons displaying the names of the babies being remembered will run from from October 9 and remain in place until October 15.
During this time, Diana will also be raising funds for Sands through a JustGiving page.
To participate, people can bring their own ribbon, toy or an object that symbolises their baby. Alternatively, they can donate online and request for a ribbon to be placed.
Speaking to Armagh I, Diana said: “I had my pregnancy loss in July, so when I looked for support I found Sands. It was great with Sands to hear stories similar to mine, so I felt I could help other people express what they feel.
“Sands have group support, so you can call and talk with someone and they will listen and give you advice about what steps you can take and learn to deal with life with this loss.”
She added: “If someone loses a baby, and feels that loss, family is important, but sometimes they can’t understand what you’ve been through. When you can talk with people who know your pain I think you can feel better.”
You can donate to Sands by visiting Diana’s JustGiving appeal page here. You can also visit her Facebook page for more information.
