Teresa Heinz Kerry talked with Robin McGraw of the Dr. Phil show on Wednesday about the daughters she hoped for, but never had due to miscarriage.
(PRWEB) October 8, 2004 -- Teresa Heinz Kerry talked about the daughters she hoped for, but never had due to miscarriage. During an interview with Senator John Kerry and his wife that aired on Wednesday, Mrs. Kerry spoke with Robin McGraw of the Dr. Phil show about the loss of her baby girls to miscarriage, endearingly calling them her 'pinkies' in heaven."
Unfortunately, Kerrys loss is a common occurrence. Nearly one million couples experience miscarriage each year in the United States alone. In 1988 Ronald Reagan proclaimed October to be Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month to increase awareness and improve understanding of bereaved parents. Reagan also faced this tragedy during his first marriage, when his newborn daughter lived only 8 hours after her birth.
Sixteen years after Reagans proclamation, awareness and understanding of miscarriage are still in short supply. Society does not allow parents to openly grieve, and many do not view miscarriage as a real loss. Parents are often left to cope on their own," says Lisa Church of HopeXchange, a company dedicated to the support of women and their families facing pregnancy loss.
Family, friends and the medical community are slow to respond to the needs of those recovering from miscarriage. Many organizations reach out by hosting events in October to educate the public. Its not that people dont want to help, many times they simply dont know what to do," says Church.
What can you say to help someone who has suffered a miscarriage? Here are some tips from the book "Hope is Like the Sun: Finding Hope and Healing After Miscarriage, Stillbirth or Infant Death." Some things to say that can help are, I am so sorry to hear about your loss," This must be so hard for you," or I cant even imagine how you must feel." Things to avoid saying are, It was Gods will," Im sure it was for the best," and especially, You can always have another one."
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month is a time to honor babies who have died due to miscarriage or infant loss. Church added, October is the perfect time to remember your baby or acknowledge the loss of someone you know. We need more people to speak openly the way Mrs. Kerry did."
Hope is Like the Sun: Finding Hope and Healing After Miscarriage, Stillbirth or Infant Death is available from HopeXchange Publishing at http://www.HopeXchange.com or Amazon.com.
About HopeXchange.
Founded in 2003, HopeXchange is dedicated to support of women and their families dealing with miscarriage. Please visit http://www.HopeXchange.com for more information.
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