The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Kayleigh’s online efforts help ease pain for families experiencing loss of a baby
Mother of four sends parcels worldwide to offer comfort
A Tayside mum is helping families across the world cope with the “devastating” experience of baby loss.
Arbroath mother-of-four Kayleigh Smith recently started a Facebook page that sends out keepsake bags for free to anyone who has lost a baby, no matter how long ago.
She has sent around 100 packages to families as far away as Australia, Africa and the USA to provide comfort.
The page is run using Kayleigh’s own funds and from donations, with help from a team of around 25 knitters, who help create gifts.
Items included in the packages include teddies, candles, bracelets and even a poem.
The 27-year-old, a mother to two boys and two girls, said : “These bags provide a small bit of comfort and show some love and care at such a painful time.
“People are so grateful and they can’t believe that it’s free. It’s something that is done purely out of kindness and love.
“It doesn’t matter if it happened 40 years ago or if it happened yesterday, I think it’s so important to have something which provides some kind of memory. ”
With Baby Loss Awareness Week approaching in October, Kayleigh, who volunteers at Ninewells Hospital’s Tulip suite (Tayside Unit for Loss in Pregnancy), wants more people to know support is available. “It’s a taboo subject,” she said. “It’s just not something people like to speak about it. If a baby passes away before a certain age they aren’t even registered or given a birth certificate.
“I think that’s wrong. I want to give people something — whether their baby was registered or not — that recognises their child existed and give them something to remember them by.”
To find out more, or to a request a package, email Kayleigh at babylosskeepsakes@outlook.com or visit the Facebook page at www. facebook.com/miscarriage and baby loss keep sakes