PARENTS who have been affected by the death of a baby or experienced pregnancy loss are invited to commemorate their children as part of a national campaign week at Russells Hall Hospital.

The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust is marking Baby Loss Awareness Week (October 9-15) by inviting bereaved families to write a message to their baby on a heart-shaped gift tag, which they can then attach to a special tree of lights located in the hospital chapel.

The trust is also supporting a special Wave of Light event at Gornal Crematorium on October 15.

This national event will remember the babies who have died during pregnancy,or during or after birth, by lighting a candle at 7pm and leaving it to burn for at least one hour.

The trust’s chaplain, Mark Stobert, will be speaking on the evening.

Baby Loss Awareness Week aims to give people the chance to talk openly about, and raise awareness of, baby loss.

Zoe Cartwright, from Tividale, lost her son Cassius at just under 20 weeks in June 2016.

“Everyone’s loss is the same, regardless of the stage at which they lost their baby,” she said.

“It’s those lost milestones – the first birthday, the first day at school, that just don’t happen. We all share those.

“On social media now women are coming forward who lost a baby 40 or 50 years ago and have never spoken about it before. Events like this give people the chance to talk about it. It’s important to bring everyone together.”

The tree of lights has been organised by the trust’s specialist bereavement midwife, Emma Watkin.

The hospital chapel will be open continually throughout the week for families to place a message on the tree of lights.

The trust is currently fundraising to revamp its baby bereavement suite to give parents the chance to spend time with their baby in a comfortable, homely environment.

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/dghc/babybereavement.

Bereaved parents who need additional support are invited to join the Here for You support group, which meets on the first Saturday of the month from 5pm to 7pm at Dudley Community Church in Salop Street.