my thoughts, stories and articles: Sands Manukau:Using your loss to support others.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Sands Manukau:Using your loss to support others.

Sarah Numan stays at home - "I run Sands Manukau 24 hours. I have 3 angels, Hope, Noah , Willow and 5 living living." What an incredible women.

Next fortnight, on May 13rd will be mothers' day. To most women, it is a day of joy, lavish gifts and eating out. To me, for 24 years as a bereaved daughter and mum, Mother's Day is a difficult one. First my mum died and when other people enjoy themselves, I think of myself who didn't spend much time of my adult life with my mum because I left home at 19. Barely 20 months past, when my baby Andrew died.

In 2007, my church, Mt Albert Baptist Church had some one pray that Mothers' Day. She prayed for those who had lost their mums, and for those who had lost their children. I felt solaced and felt that she was praying for me.

On this Mothers' day, do give a thought to those bereaved mums.

There is a group of wonderful women and men in Sands Manukau. Like me, they are belong to the club of bereaved parents. Because they themselves had gone through the pain of losing their babies, they understand and are better to comfort other parents. These ladies do a lot more than other chapters.

Mid last year, Television One producer Glenna Casalme contacted me to do a documentary of my book and me for the Baby Loss Awareness Week. It was to be screened in October. Glenna had googled me and invited me for coffee and asked if I was interested.

It is a documentary on how we can make people more aware of bereaved mums and dads and hopefully our sad experience will improve the sad statistics. She said she as also filming Sands Manukau.

The documentary, " It's OK to cry" came out on Oct 9th to mark Baby Loss Awareness Week: 9-15 Oct 2011
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZk9w-uywAs&lr=1&user=asiadownunder
http://tvnz.co.nz/asia-downunder/s2011-e31-video-4453514

I watched the Sands ladies and became friends. I chat with Sarah and Annie and follow their activities closely.

Ka Pai to the Committee: Annie OChen, Sarah Numan, Sonia Prasad, Lisa Wood, Heather Clark, and Josie Apelu

Sarah makes these angels with pink and clear crystal. She will be adding blue, green and purple next week. The wings are silver metal. The crystal (Schwartz) are the head. She spent 2 hours and made 70. She also makes the angel key rings and makes up the Inkless Hand Footprint kits. Leonie, another member is involved by telling her about the shepherd hook bookmark part and ordering them .

They are $8 each with all money going direct to Sands Manukau.

Leonie Kirwan: Baby Loss Awareness (NZ) made these last year and having been seeing Sarah a lot lately organising the Sands National Training, She told Sarah about these angels and how to make them. Leonie told me, "I have lost more than 2 bubbas we lost Williams twin @ 16weeks and I have had several miscarriages. I get a lot out of writing too and am heavily involved in Sands (Im the chairperson for Sands NZ and run my own group with Nicki)"

Someone bought 2 of these from Trade Me and said they were for Mother's Day. What a great idea. Please share around and lets give all those mums out there a lovely wee gift. $8 each and available through Sands Manukau page or Trade Me.