Advocacy

Would you be interested in...
Participating in research studies about loss and bereavement?
Taking surveys to gather data to help professionals support our families?
Helping make changes to our laws?

We would love your help improving care and increasing awareness for pregnancy loss and stillbirth.

​If so, please SUBSCRIBE below to receive emails on opportunities to to help support bereaved parents.

Still Loved: Film Screening and Panel Discussion October 16, 2017

BPoM invited community professionals and parents to join us for the film screening of Still Loved. Edgewood College Henry Predolin School of Nursing co-sponsored the event for the second year!

We were excited to have over 40 attendees through out the evening.

Thank you to our moderator Rebecca Markert, and panelists Jenah Ulrich, Leah McNeely, and Sue Tjugum!

Forever In Our Hearts Walk October 7, 2017

Ivy Anderson and Leah McNeely volunteered at the resource table at the Forever In Our Hearts Walk hosted by Mikayla's Grace. They were there to support families and direct them to local resources.

 BPoM and SSM Health Share HUGS Program ​October 3, 2017 

Claire Matejka from Bereaved Parents of Madison and Amy Helt from SSM Health St Mary's in Madison share the HUGS bedside bereavement program. 

BPoM Was Invited to Speak at the WI WIC Association Professional Development day on September 19, 2017

We were honored to present on the topic of Perinatal Loss at the WI WIC Association Professional Development Day. Claire Matejka shared her story with 114 WIC Directors and the feedback was amazing. They were so thankful to hear and learn from a first-hand story.

HUGS Program Nominated for A Star Award

It is a honor to have our HUGS program nominated for the second year in a row for a Star Award through Star Legacy Foundation. Please vote and share with your friends!

"Star Legacy Foundation will recognize individuals, groups and organizations that are making a difference regarding pregnancy & infant loss issues with its Star Awards."

HUGS Volunteers Nominated for the United Way of Dane County Community Volunteer Award

On May 2, 2017, volunteers and organizations from around Dane County were recognized for their contributions to the community. The HUGS volunteers were honored to be nominated. While we did not receive an award, we appreciate the recognition and opportunity to share our program with the United Way family!


Photo: Claire Matejka and Emily Grorud in the Nominees Circle. Photo shared by UWDC's Facebook page May 9, 2017. 

SSM Health St Mary's in Madison Shares HUGS Program

Vol. 12 No. 8 April 17, 2017
​SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital - 
Madison Infant Memorial Service: 
Mourning the Little Ones

In addition to inviting the Madison community to participate in their memorial service for babies gone too soon, Amy Helt, RN shared the HUGS program and how we are a collaborative piece of the team to make sure families are cared for after discharge. 
Photo and quote from www.capitalcityhues.com
St. Mary’s also works to help put in place a continuum of support for the mothers once they leave the hospital.

“Grief is a journey,” Helt said. “That’s what we call it. It’s not something that you ever forget. It never goes away. You just learn how to cope with it. The Bereaved Parents Support Group, a year ago, started something called HUGS. It stands for Hope (correction) Understanding and Grief Support. And the facilitators of the Bereaved Parents Support Group put this together and did a lot of interviews and training of parents who have had losses who want to give back by being at the bedside of patients who have had losses. They’ve gone through hours and hours of training. We’ve interviewed each one to make sure that they would they would be a good match. And they are wonderful! They actually fill the gap from when patients leave the hospital to going home. They will follow-up for up to a year if they choose. They will meet with them in the hospital from two minutes to 45 minutes if a patient wants to talk that long. And then follow-up with as little as emails to as much as phone calls or meeting for coffee or coming to their house if they want. They will do anything to give back and help these families.”
-Amy Helt

BPoM Quoted in Cap Times

Photo and logo from Cap Times article.

​No easy answer: Dane County’s racial disparity in infant mortality is an unsolved mystery


​"If you lose a grandparent, parent or good friend, you lose part of your past, she said. If you lose a child, you have lost the future."

BPoM To Lead Stillbirth Tax Credit Legislation in 2017

We are excited to reach out to our state representatives to support this bill. We moved information about the progress of this bill to a new page. Please visit the Legislation page for up to date information!

Funeral Home Experience Survey Live through July 15, 2016

Bereaved Parents of Madison, Inc is proud to be collaborating with Sarah Rickerd from Carry Your Heart Jewelry and Gifts, and Christine Mickelson from Cress Funeral Homes in Madison to identify best practices for funeral directors when serving a family who has experienced a pregnancy or infant loss. We know that improvements can always be made and by collecting responses on this brief survey, we can identify those. The result of the survey will be shared in the form of a presentation of Best Practices for Caring for Pregnancy and Infant Loss Bereaved Families at the National Funeral Directors Association Conference in October of this year.
To take the survey, parents must meet all of the following criteria:
--Experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss.
--Loss must have occurred within the past 10 years.
--Used the services of a funeral home for the loss.
We would love your support for gathering responses…our goal is to have 500! Please take the 25 questions survey if you meet the requirements and share the link with others who may also qualify. Thank you in advance for your time and sharing so we can help make positive changes to bereavement care on a national level.

Sharing the Journey of Pregnancy After Loss

​Aftermath of Pregnancy Loss | Bereaved Parents of Madison
Madison Mom's Blog May 27, 2016

Rebecca shares her experience with pregnancy after the loss of their first born daughter Lily. 
During the immediate aftermath of my loss, I felt so alone – despite the outpouring of support from my family and friends. It felt like I was the only one who ever experienced such a devastating loss. At these support group meetings, I felt comforted because I wasn’t alone. It was a relief to be able to relate to other parents and have them understand why I felt a particular way. They understood why my baby’s due date was hard or why the anniversary of her birth/death date hurt year after year. No matter how far you’ve come in your grief journey, a moment, a thought or smell can send you back into a very raw pain. These parents knew how hard it can be to see a loved one’s pregnancy announcement and how years later knowing someone who’s had a baby girl born in May will always sting a little.
​-Rebecca Markert

Film Screening: Dark Side of the Full Moon - Spring 2016

in April 2016, Bereaved Parents of Madison, Inc was invited by Ann Jamison MFT, to participate in a panel discussion following the screening of Dark Side of the Full Moon at Edgewood College. The film focused on maternal mental health and postpartum depression. Pregnancy and infant loss was not included in the film, so our panelist Tina Keller shared her experience. 

Hospitlas and clinics can have access to s

2016 Madison Climb Out of the Darkness Walk

Bereaved Parents of Madison, Inc. was invited to the resource table at the local Climb Out of the Darkness walk on June 18, 2016 hosted by our local Warrior Mom Kat from Postpartum Progress. They focus on maternal mental health surrounding childbirth. 

"Lots of young families turned out to Climb Out of The Darkness.  Great awareness event for maternal mental health.  Several folks stopped by to learn about BPoM, take information for friends, and tell me about the great work they're doing to keep all of our mamas healthy and supported."
​                                                                       -Kate McCoy
Bereaved Parents of Madison, Inc has also been advocating for the distribution of the New Mom Mental Health Checklist to be included in all mother's discharge folders. This tool can be reviewed by moms and used to begin the conversation with their doctors about postpartum depression. For more information, visit postpartumprogress.org
Photo: ​Spring 2016 Climb Out of the Darkeness
​Kate McCoy - HUGS Volunteer
Katherine Schuknecht - Postpartum Progress Doula

Sharing HUGS on WKOW 27 - Winter 2016

Advocacy: Mental Health Research

We were approached by a grad student at UW-Madison who is completing a study with the goal to help parents cope with the loss of a child and manage their mental health. Bereaved Parents of Madison, Inc. is not affiliated with this research study, so any questions can be directed to the name and number on the flyer. Contact them if you are interested or with any questions.