Phone: 479-338-2081
Services
24 Hour HOTLINE: SHARE counselor team member available
Call: Labor & Delivery desk (479) 338-8000, ext. 2954 for on-call team
member or SHARE office: 338-2081.
A checklist is provided for the nurse caring for the mother
to help meet the needs of the family. All SHARE team members are
specially trained in perinatal loss grief counseling.
A card with the hospital rose symbol for SHARE is placed
on the hospital door to alert others of the loss.
The fetus/infant is placed in a special blanket,
given to the parents to hold, bond and say good-bye. The blanket is then given
to the parents as a keepsake. Volunteers have provided small outfits for our
infants that parents can choose for their infant.
A Certificate of Life, Baptism, or Birth Certificate
with or without handprints and/or footprints is given to the parents at the
time of loss. (We have gotten footprints on 9 weeks gestational age fetus).
A SHARE packet with helpful information along with
keepsakes in a Memory Box, if applicable, (lock of hair, little hat,
crib card, measuring tape, etc.) is given to the parents at the time of loss.
Casting & bronzing are done of a hand and/or foot and placed in the
Memory Box.
Counselors trained in perinatal and early infant loss
help the parents with funeral arrangements, if needed. All
products of conception under 20 week's gestation are placed in the
SHARE plot at St. Vincent's Cemetery. Funeral home arrangements are needed
for births after 21 weeks. SHARE counselors are the liaison between the
funeral home and the family.
Parent support group meetings are held the second
Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Friends House. Program
range from discussion, films, speakers, and sharing. SHARE pamphlets and
information, along with a lending library is available at the meetings.
A "Walk to Remember" is held annually at
St. Vincent Cemetery in October. The St. Vincent Knights of Columbus
organization maintain the SHARE plot there.
An annual "Butterfly Release" Memorial Service
is held in May.
Candelight Memorial Service and Tree Trimming of
our SHARE tree planted between the cafeteria and the chapel is held in
December.
