NHS Dumfries and Galloway maternity staff gathered with Sands bereavement charity representatives, and local sculptor Max Nowell, to mark the official opening of a specially created memorial garden close to the Women and Children’s unit at the Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary.
The gathering, with each person standing by one of the stone sculptures featured in the garden, coincided with National Baby Loss Awareness Week which is of great significance to the charity that supports parents who have been bereaved by the loss of their baby.
The Dumfries and Galloway branch of Sands has a long-standing relationship with NHS maternity services in the region and works with them to support families locally who suffer the loss of a baby during pregnancy or in the neonatal period.
Dr. David Hall, Chair of Sands Scotland and Trustee Sands UK, said:
“Having previously funded the creation and upkeep of the Rainbow Room, a facility at the former DGRI for parents bereaved losing a baby, funds were raised to develop a similar facility at the new DGRI, and plans for a memorial garden at DGRI were agreed.
“Through the amazing support of the people of Dumfries and Galloway sufficient monies were raised to create two funds, one ensuring the ongoing provision of the Rainbow Room at the new DGRI, and one to develop the garden with the specially created sculptures by Max Nowell.
“We are delighted that our vision for a space at the newly built acute hospital, internally and externally, to provide comfort for bereaved parents and their families and friends has become a reality.”
Max Nowell, Sculptor, said:
“I have no direct experience of the loss of a child, but while I was working on the Sands sculpture at a local cemetery it became very clear to me how deep and lasting the effects of such a loss can be. This feeling of absence or what might have been became very strong over the days that I worked there. I saw a surprising number of parents and other family members visit the area to leave tokens, to reflect, or to remember.
“Talking to some of the parents who had been bereaved for many years it was obvious that the care and support available for pregnancy or neo-natal bereavement has improved significantly over time, as well as social attitudes. It seems to me that things are much better in the current time and that parents today are able to draw upon a circle of openness, understanding, and practical help from family and friends, medical and social institutions, and wonderful charitable groups such as Sands.
“While I was thinking about this project, I felt that the attributes of a stone circle might be of some comfort to people whose circumstances had brought them to the nearby unit, that if they spent a few minutes within a circle of roughly human-sized stones they might remember all of the people around them who loved and protected them at that time. There are ties and bonds between all people involved in the loss of a baby and I hoped that my rope carvings might symbolise that. I still have a specific kind of tree to source and plant next to one of the stones in the coming months.”
Karen King, Head of Midwifery, NHS Dumfries and Galloway said:
“I am delighted to see the memorial garden come to fruition as a support to families who sadly have had to endure the trauma and heartbreak of losing their baby. With this official opening of the garden comes an opportunity to raise awareness generally of what Sands can do for them.
“The midwives and all staff involved with families who experience this loss value the support and work of the local branch of Sands so much and would like to thank them for all that they do.”
Nick Mitchell, Endowment Fund Manager for NHS Dumfries and Galloway said:
“We are delighted to officially open the memorial garden featuring the stone sculptures circle, and in doing so we are letting people know that it is there for them to go to as a place of comfort in their bereavement and loss.
“We are so grateful to Sands for their generous donation funding the Rainbow Room and the memorial garden at the new DGRI, and for their ongoing commitment to supporting parents locally who have been bereaved losing their baby. That gratitude extends also to local people who helped and contributed in any way while Sands were fundraising for both of these unique additions to the hospital and its grounds.”
