Donate to WNYPBN today, safely & securely, at www.firstgiving.com/WNYPBN!
Wings of Love Parent's Day Breakfast
May 11, 2013 at ACQUA Restaurant- Harbour Room, 2192 Niagara Street, Buffalo, NY 14207 - 10am- 12:30pm
Event held annually on the Saturday of Mother's Day weekend. For those who have lost a baby, Mother's Day and Father's Day can be a sad and emotional reminder of loss instead of the celebration it is meant to be. WNYPBN helps to commemorate the wonderful parents we all are by honoring and remembering the precious babies who have gone too soon. All proceeds will benefit the important work of the Wings of Love Memorial Fund.
Sponsors- Phillips Lytle LLP, Mount Calvary Cemetery
Tickets: Adults- $10 each, kids (4-12) $5 each; under 4 years of age are gratis. Please send list of those attending and check payable to WNYPBN add our new office location by May 3rd to: 30 S Cayuga Rd., Lower Level, Williamsville, NY 14221.
For more information, please contact Christine by email or at 716-626-6363
Walk to Remember - Visit the Walk's New Page: www.wnypbn.org/wtr
SAVE THE DATE: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2013
Held annually in October at the Cheektowaga Town Park, Cheektowaga, New York. During the months of September and October of each year, hundreds of parents, health care professionals and friends across the United States participate in a "Walk To Remember." These Walks are dedicated to the thousands of babies that die each year through miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth or early infant death.... and they are a beautiful memorial to those babies.
2012 WTR Brochure and Registration Form can now be found on the WTR's page at www.wnypbn.org/wtr!
2012 WTR Poster - Help spread the word by printing and posting at your office, school, library, church or any other place that you can think of!
Elegant Evening to Remember
April 26, 2013 at the Hotel @ the Lafayette 6-11p
Thank you to WKBW (Ch. 7) for your coverage of our event!
Coverage of Our Event:
The “Elegant Evening to Remember” will feature an awards ceremony recognizing volunteers, physicians, nurses, and organizations for their outstanding dedication to the WNYPBN. All award winners will be featured on our website. This elegant evening will also feature a cocktail reception, sit-down dinner, and a silent auction. All auction packages will be created in memory of babies who have died by miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth or early infant death.
2013 Sponsors:
Candlelight Sponsors- First Niagara
Hope Sponsors- Obstetrics & Gynecology-Bartels, Powalski, Weissman & Cloud, MDs and Village Veterninary Clinic of Hamburg
Dove Spsonsors- Curbell Inc., Ob/Gyn Associates of WNY
Valet Sponsor: Jim Ball
Media Sponsor: Channel 7- WKBW
Individual tickets available; table purchases available. More information can be found at: http://www.firstgiving.com/wnypbn/2ndelegeve
Congratulations to our 2013 Award Recipients!
Physician of the Year Award: This award is given to a physician who went above and beyond the call of duty in helping families during and after the death of their baby(ies).
Nurse of the Year Award: This award is given to a nurse who went above and beyond the call of duty in helping families during and after the death of their baby(ies).
Volunteer of the Year Award: This award is given to those persons who have made significant contribution toward the WNYPBN’s mission throughout the year.
Community Service Award: This award calls attention to a person or organization that has provided outstanding support to the WNY Perinatal Bereavement Network’s community throughout the year.
Community Awareness Award: This award is given to a person or organization that has done outstanding work to increase public awareness of the needs of helping families who have lost their baby(ies).
Thank you for taking the time to nominate a deserving individual, business or organization!
Congratulations to the 2012 Award Recipients
Teaming Up with Everything Happy
Teaming up with Everything Happy/Happy Blankie to expand our sibling bereavement program. Their mission: one to love one to give. Read Renee's Letter here.
Visit http://www.myeverythinghappy.com/ReneeBackstrom to view their products. The monthly promotions will automatically be applied to qualified orders. Once you receive the product(s) you will be able to log back onto the website with the Giving Code located on the tag and select WNY Perinatal Bereavement Network from the list of Giving Locations.
Dress Down Day at YOUR COMPANY!
Your company can assist the WNYPBN by hosting a Dress Down Day with proceeds to benefit the Wings of Love Memorial Fund, the Angel Robes Program or to benefit all of the programs of the WNYPBN. For more details on how to set up this fun event at your company, please contact Christine Scott at 716-626-6363 or at Christine@wnypbn.org.
Thank you for hosting a 2012 Dress Down Day to Support the WNYPBN:
Clarence Middle School in memory of Andrei Barnhardt
Hodgson Russ LLP
Springville Middle School in memory of Daniel Joseph Gallivan
Maple West Elementary School ~ In Memory of Emily Ann Jank
Bonton Community Days
Uniland Development Company Curbell, Inc.
Conestoga-Rovers & Associates, Inc. ~In Memory of Madison Liegh Frankowski
St. Stephen's United Church of Christ
John Newman Mission Community
Rich Products Corporation
Curbell
Hamburg Middle School
Matching donations for these Dress Down Events have been received from National Fuel Gas Company Foundation, United Health Group and the United Way of Buffalo & Erie County.
“A Moment in Our Arms, Forever in Our Hearts” Camera Program
A new program through the WNYPBN. Courtney & Matthew’s story illustrates the importance of capturing a baby's arrival.
The story of Andrei’s life is too long to recount here. Though he lived a mere 9 months, he has had a lasting impact. Andrei is our first child. We exuberantly awaited his arrival while preparing our home and our lives for the shift to becoming a family. After 9 long months the due date finally arrived and my excitement to meet our baby was overwhelming. Matt and I attended the due date checkup. Everything was good. The heartbeat was strong and baby passed the non-stress test with flying colors.
Four days later, I commented to Matt that I hadn’t felt the baby kick as much as usual. After trying a few tricks at home to incite the little stinker to move, we headed to the hospital to meet our midwife. Shortly after our arrival, the unfathomable was confirmed. There was no heartbeat; no blood flow. Our baby was dead. There was nothing they could do; he was already gone. With much sobbing and discussion, we decided to induce that evening. We labored through the night and Andrei was born late the following morning. He was absolutely perfect! I was so awed by the beautiful baby placed on my stomach that it was a full minute or two before I even thought to check if he was a boy or a girl. After some doting, Matt went to our duffle bag and pulled out our point-and-shoot camera. We took half a dozen photos and a short video. We admiringly checked out every feature and detail of his flawless body. There was no hesitation in consenting when we were given the option of calling “Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep photography”. A few hours after Andrei was born the photographer arrived and snapped many photos of our sweet boy, us as a family and even Andrei’s grandparents as they said hello and goodbye to their first grandchild. In the pictures that we took ourselves, he looks…well, different. Perhaps it was the hours that had passed or the photographer’s touching up, regardless we cherish both sets of photos. The truth is you can never have too many photos of your baby. Additionally, we had the photos from our personal camera immediately whereas the professional pictures took a couple weeks to arrive. This provided the opportunity to share our beautiful baby with the family and friends who were unable to meet him at the hospital and who were also excitedly anticipating his arrival.
We are grateful for all of the mementos we have: his footprints, locks of hair, his tiny urn. But his photos show how heart-meltingly adorable he was, how many features mirror his father’s. They show us the sweet face we couldn’t wait to meet and that we miss so intently.
Our hope for the A Moment in Our Arms, Forever in Our Hearts disposable camera program is to offer families a chance to capture the miracle that is their child. We recognize that some mothers arrive at the hospital in an emergent situation. They may not have had the leisure of grabbing their camera or perhaps they’re preterm and have not yet packed a hospital bag. Regardless of the circumstances, every family should be urged to take photos of their baby. Naturally they are in shock, but the window of opportunity to capture memories with their baby is very, very small. They can always decide later if they want to keep the pictures, however, they cannot go back and take photos.
Judging from the millions of bereaved parents who’ve come before them, they will most certainly opt to keep the photos. We will treasure Andrei’s photos for the rest of our lives. We look forward to sharing his pictures with his future siblings someday. Sincerely, Courtney Bajdas and Matthew Barnhardt- Bereaved parents of Andrei Skolikas Barnhardt
An Evening to Remember Basket Raffle
The Evening to Remember Basket Raffle held annually in March or April. This ADULT ONLY event helps to raise money for the programs of the WNYPBN. Baskets are created and donated in loving memory of babies lost to early infant death, stillbirth, miscarriage or tubal (ectopic) pregnancy. More information on the event's website: http://www.aneveningtoremember.net.
If you are interested in donating for this worthwhile event, please contact Cyndee Fahey at 361-9330 or email her.
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