Help is available...
The death of your child is the most difficult experience you will ever endure. Whether your child is an infant, a young child, an adolescent or an adult, resources are available to help you and your family members during this very difficult time. Listed below are a few of the many support groups available, with links to websites, where available.
M.I.S.S.
Mothers In Sympathy & Support
Coordinator Joanne Caciatore 623.979.1000
The M.I.S.S. Group Locator
A grass roots organization dedicated to supporting parents one on one after the death of an infant or young child. Referrals to peer contacts and ancillary organizations offered. Grief workshops are available for professionals who work with families during and after the death of their child.
Compassionate Friends
After the death of your child, you need not walk alone.
Central Phoenix -
Barbara and Walter Bradley (602) 905-1203
West Phoenix - Lynette and John Sarna (602) 942-4208
East Valley - Reg Felt (602) 821-1063
The Compassionate Friends National website
They offer support to parents whose children have died at any age, from any cause of death. Support is provided through monthly meetings, telephone friends and resource literature. Infant and sibling groups are also available at some chapter locations. Contact your local chapter leader for times and locations of monthly meetings. Call the TCF National Office at 630-990-0010 for information and locations of TCF chapters around the
country. In the Phoenix area you may call (602) 752-1832 (phone line open 24 hours).
M.E.N.D.
Mommies Enduring Neonatal Death
P.O. Box 1007
Coppell, TX 75019
1-888-695-MEND (6363)
Contact Person: Rebekah Mitchell
Email: bek4@ix.netcom.com
M.E.N.D. Homepage
M.E.N.D. is a non-profit corporation whose purpose is to reach out to
those who have lost a child due to miscarriage, stillbirth or early infant
death and offer a way to share experiences and information through
meetings, the bi-monthly newsletter, and our Internet web site.
Bereavement Services/RTS
East Valley (Phoenix Area)
Desert Samaritan Hospital
Coordinator: Suzanne Helzer (480) 835-3460
Monthly support group meetings for families following the death of an infant through stillbirth, neonatal or infant death. Contact coordinator Suzanne Helzer for meeting times and locations.
Healing Hearts/RTS
Shore Memorial Hospital
Somers Point, New Jersey
Internet site
A support group for parents and families coping with the grief of losing a child through pregnancy or newborn death.
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Center
1421 E Wayzata Blvd, #30
Wayzata, Minnesota 55391
(612) 473-9372
fax (612) 473-8978
email: Donnarail@aol.com
The Pregnancy and Infant Loss Center is a national, non-profit support, resource and education center located in Wayzata, Minnesota - a suburb of Minneapolis. They have a quarterly newsletter, "Loving Arms," and also offer an extensive catalog with books, videos, comfort cards, and keepsake items for grieving parents, their extended families and caregivers.
Alliance of Grandparents, A Support in Tragedy
(A.G.A.S.T.)
www.agast.org
Contact: Lee Ward
P.O. Box 17281
Phoenix, AZ 85011-0281
(602) 254-9442 or 1-888-774-SIDS (7437)
Fax: (602) 254-0867
A.G.A.S.T. supports grandparents grieving the death of their grandchild. They also recognize the uniqueness of a grandparent's grief as they observe their child mourning the death of their infant. Peer contacts are available, as are monthly newsletters and resources.
Additional Internet Resources
- Mom's Halo - Support for those who have lost their mom. Support for all ages - child thru adult. Message forum, poetry, resources and more.
- Childloss - Empty Arms, Heavy Hearts: a grief supprt site for all types of child loss.
- HOPE - This website is to offer support & information to families experiencing pregnancy loss or neonatal death.
- BabySteps.com- a resource centre for parents and children who have lost a child or sibling, and also provide a place of comfort.
- Still Fathers - A support resource for dads who have experienced stillbirth, infant death or miscarriage. Founded by a bereaved father, this is a great place for Dads to meet other bereaved fathers.
- Infanlos Electronic Mailing List Server - Infanlos is an electronic mailing list dedicated to the support of any individual grieving the death of an infant whether during pregnancy, stillbirth, or after birth. We average 125 members from all over the world. To join, send an email message to majordomo@taex001.tamu.edu (that's zero, zero, one). In the body of the message, simply, type:
subscribe infanlos
end
If you have any problems with this contact the list owner via email at infanlos-owner@taex001.tamu.edu.
- CampPaz - A healing retreat for bereaved children.
- Living Beyond Loss - A site created by a father who has lost three children, and his life since that loss.
- Victims Fighting Back - help for those who have been hurt through domestic violence
- HOPE - Caring support & information for families enduring neonatal loss
- The miscarriage Association The miscarriage Association is a registered National Charity which gives
support to women and their families on all aspects of pregnancy loss. They gather information about causes and treatments, and promote good practice in the way pregnancy loss is managed in hospitals and within the community.
- Haloes
A site created by Gina Johnson in memory of her son, Philip, a S.A.D.S.
baby.
- The Pregnancy Institute - The Pregnancy Institute, Inc., is a non-profit organization created to study normal pregnancies. It is designed to promote the likelihood of healthier pregnancies resulting in well monitored, full-term live births.
- INCIID The InterNational Council on Infertility Information Dissemination --- (pronounced "inside"). INCIID is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating infertile couples
about the latest methods to diagnose, treat and prevent infertility and
pregnancy loss. This site has a great deal of information on miscarriage. INCIID provides not only subject specific fact sheets co-authored with physicians but also forums
moderated by experts/physicians.
- Hygeia An online journal for pregnancy and neonatal loss. A Great resource for professionals and families!
- H.A.N.D. Houston's Aid in Neonatal Death. The goal of this site is to share H.A.N.D.'s mission to support grievingparents in the greater Houston area with the rest of the
world via the internet.
- Journey of Hearts - A Healing Place in Cyberspace™, A website for anyone who has ever experienced a loss, a place for enhancing physical and mental well being.
- GriefAid, an oasis of comfort and support for all suffering from grief,
sorrow or pain. The site also has specialized areas for bereaved parents and grandparents.
- PsychWeb, a comprehensive listing of self-help resources.
- Wings An information site for caregivers and the bereaved. The organizatin offers a magazine with many greif related articles.
- Bill Chadwick's page. A bereaved father with a page dedicated to his son, Michael. A great page full of additional links and resources.
- The Mining Company researches the net for you. There is an extensive resource listing on death and dying related sites plus some good feature articles as well. Worth a peek!
- A Place to Remember. Uplifting support materials and resources for those who have been touched by a crisis in pregnancy or the death of a baby.
- Couseling For Loss & Life Changes A very good grief and bereavement support site. Worth the trip! (note: your browser must support frames to view this site).
- Growth House Guide to Death, Dying, Grief, Bereavement, and End of Life Resources. Use the Growth House Search Engine below for additional resources.
M.I.S.S. Foundation
A nonprofit 501 (c) (3) international organization
Providing immediate and ongoing support to grieving families
and reducing infant and toddler death through research and education
623.979.1000
Fax 623.979.1001
P.O. Box 5333
Peoria, Arizona 85385
To make a tax deductible donation
Founder, Joanne Cacciatore-Garard
joanne@missfoundation.org
