Baby Loss Awareness Week provides the opportunity for parents and whānau around New Zealand to come together and remember the lives of their babies who have died. We acknowledge the lives and deaths of all babies, no matter what their gestation, length of life or how they died.
It is also a chance to highlight the work done by Sands around New Zealand. The aims for the week are:
To promote 15th October as International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.
To promote the Annual Global Wave of Light and other events or services where parents can publicly acknowledge their babies.
To raise awareness and increase understanding of the impact of baby loss amongst the wider community.
To invite all Sands parents, whānau and friends to our Annual Remembrance Day and other events. See event details below.
Annual Remembrance Day
Our family friendly event is an opportunity during Baby Loss Awareness week, to attend a remembrance service, meet with other bereaved parents and family members, to honour our babies, tie a ribbon on our remembrance heart and be together on this special day. We post details of the event (date/time and venue) in September each year.
In 2024 we were delighted to once again work in conjunction with the kind team at Holy Trinity Cathedral for our Annual Remembrance Day. Click here for a link to the photos of the 2024 event.
Holy Trinity Cathedral have been great supporters of Sands, by lighting the cathedral as part of the Sands NZ Light Up Aotearoa campaign each year, and by hosting our past two Remembrance Day services. Both Dean Anne Mills and Reverend Ivica Gregurec are passionate about Sands and supporting bereaved whānau.
The service was beautiful, offering warmth and hope, and was well attended. It was wonderful to see families we had not seen for a while, and also to be able to welcome newly bereaved parents. Thank you to the amazing volunteers from Good Bitches baking who kindly provided us with some yummy treats and also to Dean Anne Mills, Reverend Ivica Gregurec and Celebrant Helen Rutledge who lead our beautiful service.
Global Wave of Light – 15th October
International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day is recognised across the world, where families gather and take part in the Global Wave of Light from home or at organised services. This involves lighting a candle at 7pm to burn for 1 hour in memory of all the babies who lit up our lives for such a short time. We begin the wave of light in Aotearoa, setting off a continuous wave of light and aroha that wraps around the globe.
We encouraged everybody to join in from the comfort of your own home or to attend one of our organised events; either the Sands NZ Online Global Wave of Light Service, or the Candle Lighting Ceremony in Silverdale hosted by celebrants Helen Rutledge and Kelly Townsend.
Click here to see images of the 2024 Wave of Light event in Silverdale.
Light Up Aotearoa
For the past few years, Sands NZ has organised for landmarks across Aotearoa to be lit up in blue, pink and purple for Baby Loss Awareness Week. We thank the councils, organisations, and businesses who participate to raise awareness of pregnancy and baby loss and acknowledging the whānau in their area who have suffered such a heart-breaking loss. A list of participating landmarks will be posted in the weeks before Baby Loss Awareness Week.
9th – 15th October
