In a South Australian first, Miles Apart Foundation is ripping off the band aid in creating awareness for the ongoing emotional impact of baby loss.
Miles Apart Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation, working with hospitals around Australia to support and assist women and families dealing with the heartache of baby loss.
Miles Apart is truly breaking the silence on this tragic issue.
The Foundation is the brainchild of Annabel Bower, an Adelaide-based mother of five, a food stylist and recipe writer. After her fourth child, a boy named Miles, was stillborn, Annabel dedicated her time to raising awareness of the emotional impact of baby loss.
Mrs Bower said: “In Australia, six babies are stillborn every day. Annually, this number doubles that of the national road toll. In addition, one in four pregnancies end in miscarriage and each day, two infants die.
Alarmingly, the incidence of stillbirth has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic began, according to a comparative study of pregnancy outcomes in a London hospital.
Many parents also go through the pain of termination for medical reasons after their baby is given a terminal or life limiting diagnosis while in utero.
Mrs Bower said: “In Australia, there are concerns for an increase in stillbirths due to COVID-19, yet we will not know the statistics until 2022. Though it is likely that if the UK is experiencing a spike, Australia will too.
As part of Annabel’s vision to increase awareness and help and assist families that experience this horrific loss, she has written a book, the title, Miles Apart.
The book is her story about this journey. She wrote it in the hope her experience could help others in similar situations.
The foundation will distribute copies of Miles Apart directly to bereaved parents through hospitals, GP’s and pregnancy loss support services from October 2020,
October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month in Australia.
On the 11th of September, the Foundation will host its first major event fundraiser, a long lunch at Adelaide Oval.
Mrs Bower said: “Over 300 people will be attending the event, with all proceeds going to charity.
“The event is a celebration of motherhood in all of its forms and will raise funds to support those affected by baby loss.
“Our challenge and goal is to communicate with health organisations on the necessity to distribute the much-needed information on the aftermath of losing a child.
“We hope through event and book, we can support anyone who is suffering and guide those supporting the bereaved by opening up and normalising the conversation surrounding baby loss.”
For more information, head to https://www.milesapart.online/.
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