Caring Beyond

Today is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day.

Tonight, as we light our candles and hold space for the babies we carry in our hearts, I’d like to take a moment to share the history behind this special day — Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day, observed each year on October 15. This day exists because every life matters — no matter how small, or how brief.

It began in 1988, when President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the month of October as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month in the United States. He reminded the nation of something deeply true — that when parents lose a child, there are no words to describe their loss. He said:

"When a child loses his parent, they are called an orphan. When a spouse loses her or his partner, they are called a widow or widower. When parents lose their child, there isn't a word to describe them." His proclamation was one of the first official recognitions of the silent grief so many families endure.

But it was grieving parents — especially a woman named Robyn Bear and others who walked this same path — who led a grassroots movement to make October 15 a specific day of remembrance. They petitioned every state in the U.S., and by 2006, all 50 states had recognized Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. Soon, this day began to be observed around the world.

In Canada, it was formally recognized in 2005.
In the United Kingdom and other countries, it became part of Baby Loss Awareness Week, which runs from October 9th to the 15th.

Today, October 15 is acknowledged across many nations — as a time to honor the babies who left too soon and to support the families who love them forever.

Each year on this day, families around the world take part in the “Wave of Light.” At 7:00 PM in every time zone, candles are lit in memory of the babies who are no longer with us — creating a continuous wave of light that wraps around the globe for 24 hours.

It is a powerful symbol of connection, remembrance, and shared love.

Because whether your loss was recent or decades ago — whether it was a miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal loss, or sudden infant death — your baby matters. Your grief is valid. And you are not alone.

So tonight, as we light our candles — let us remember:

Each flame represents a life.
Each flicker, a heartbeat that once was.
Each glow, the enduring love of a parent.
Thank you for being here.
Thank you for remembering with us.
And thank you for helping break the silence.
Together, we keep their light shining.