Bear Care Campaign
2-4 John T. McMillian Ave E2H2G5 Saint John, NB, Canada

Be gentle with yourself and others, do not attempt to compare your grief to others, nor deny others the right to fully grieve. Terra-Lynn Coggan Founder & Ambassador PAiL Awareness Campaign

Our Sun Failed to Shine Michael Robinson | Telegraph-Journal November 13, 2018 ... Terra-Lynn Coggan, the founder and international ambassador of the PAiL Awareness Campaign, attends a Wave of Light Global Illumination Project event that occurred during the Moncton Wildcats v. Halifax Moosehead game Oct. 17. Photo: Courtesy of Terra-Lynn Coggan A Rothesay woman is appealing to New Brunswickers to sign a petition asking the federal government to commit to supporting families who have experienced the death of a child in pregnancy or infancy. Terra-Lynn Coggan, the founder and international ambassador of the Pregnancy and Infant Loss (PAiL) Awareness Campaign, is advocating for the House of Commons’ e-petition E -1781. The petition asks the federal government to commit to following through with any recommendation stemming from its ongoing study into how pregnancy and infant loss impacts grieving Canadian parents. Coggan, who said she has experienced the trauma of baby loss multiple times, is urging New Brunswickers to add their name to the list. The petition has so far garnered 1939 signatures 43 of which came from New Brunswick, according to the House of Common’s e-petition website. The signing period closes on November 15. One in four families will experience a baby last bereavement, that means somebody knows somebody who has experienced a baby loss, she said. Baby loss doesn’t just affect the immediate family, it impacts the greater community, and our support and compassion is needed now more than ever. Coggan is adamant better supports, including financial assistance, should be available to assist families who go through this type of trauma. Her personal mission can be traced back to September 26, 2003. On that day, she and her family experienced the stillbirth of her nephew Riley Joseph at 43 weeks. I was to adopt him, so it took quite a toll on me emotionally, she said, her voice breaking. It was as much (my sisters) loss as it was mine, it affected the family as a whole. She said Riley’s anticipated arrival was supposed to be the sunshine after the rain as her grandfather, Robert James, had died six weeks earlier. Unfortunately as fate would have it, our sun failed to shine, she told the Telegraph-Journal. Coggan said it was difficult to find assistant specific to baby loss bereavement following the loss of Riley. I was not in a position to work, even if that was my only alternative, she said. I had a home with a rental income to help me. If I did not have that, I would have met with significant financial hardship. Coggan said she and her recently deceased husband Marlon Jair then experienced a first-trimester miscarriage in December 2011. That was Ethan, she said. I delivered him into the palm of my hand. It was the first of two pregnancies she said she shared with Marlon, including a multiple first-trimester loss in April 2014. This June, a non-partisan private members bill called for exploring better supports for families suffering from infant loss passed unanimously in the House of Commons. Motion 110, tabled by Alberta’s Banff-Airdrie Conservative MP Blake Richards, directed a parliamentary committee study and report on the impact pregnancy and infant loss has on grieving parents. Richards has cited the federal employment insurance policy that immediately ends its 35-week long parental leave benefits as soon as an infant dies as an example of a flaw that needs fixing. As part of its ongoing study, the committee is consulting with parents and experts who have experienced the issue first hand. It is receiving briefing testimony up until November 23, 2018. A report summarizing the committee’s research is expected to be given to the federal government by the end of this year. A list of recommendations detailing what future steps should be taken will follow in early 2019. Moving forward, Coggan described her motivation to advocate for bereaved families as Riley’s legacy. We want to make sure families who experience this loss... that they are met with compassion and financial support is available to them so that they can take the time to heal and move forward and return to being functional and contributing members of society, she said. Her advocacy has taken many forms, including Lights of Love International Wave of Light, a Bear Care Campaign initiative. She said the annual event has evolved from the lighting of candles to show support of baby loss survivors and their families to full-scale illumination of buildings, landmarks and venues, across the world and around the globe, in the Campaign’s Colours, pink, blue and purple too!, including the illumination of Moncton’s newest event centre and post game light show, which took place during the Moncton Wildcats’ v. Halifax Mooseheads’ game at the Avenir Centre, October 17, 2018

Did You Know: Each year approximately 4.1 million deaths of infants less than one year old happen[1], an estimated 2.6 million stillbirths occur[2], and approxi...mately 25% of pregnancies result in miscarriage.[3] Observance of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month serves to promote greater awareness and support for the estimated 1 in 4 individuals and families whose lives are irrevocably altered by the death of their children during pregnancy, at birth, in infancy, and beyond; while giving consideration to, how we as individuals and communities can better support baby loss survivors and their families, by promoting greater awareness, and providing survivors and their loved ones remembrance opportunities. The month of October also provides the opportunity to increase public awareness of the prevalence of pregnancy loss and infant death, while promoting greater research and understanding, to aide in the creation and establishment of programs, resources and services, to support and provide assistance to survivors of baby loss and their families, enabling them to overcome their trauma and integrate their bereavement into their life in a healthy, helpful, healing manner.[4] Whether you’ve experienced a baby loss in pregnancy, at birth, in infancy, or you wish to support a loved one who has, you are invited to share this post and pass it on to show your support and help raise greater awareness across the world and around the globe. Join International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month 2021 and Share: https://fb.me/e/5UFg8DsTn Join #waveoflight2021 and invite your family, friends, and loved ones to join you! https://fb.me/e/h8mPsa9J6 References: 1. "Infant mortality", World Health Organization, Retrieved 03/16/2020 2. "Stillbirths", World Health Organization, Retrieved 03/16/2020 3. García-Enguídanos A, Calle ME, Valero J, Luna S, Domínguez-Rojas V (May 2002). "Risk factors in miscarriage: a review". European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology. 102 (2): 1119. doi:10.1016/s0301-2115(01)00613-3. PMID 11950476 4. Robinson, Michael; Terra-Lynn Coggan (11/13/2018), Poirier, Jack (ed.), "Our sun failed to shine", Telegraph-Journal, New Brunswick Publishing Co, Archived from the original 11/15/2018, Retrieved 03/16/2020, https://www.facebook.com/191551724198922/posts/3925356480818409 #pregnancyandinfantlossawareness #pregnancyandinfantloss #pregnancyandinfantlossawarenessmonth #waveoflight #waveoflight2021 #pailglobalilluminationproject Photo source: PAiL Awareness Campaign

Dear Social Media User, For the love of all, STOP sharing fake pregnancy announcements and ultrasound photos. Fake pregnancy announcements are not funny, they a...re not cute, nor is pregnancy a subject to joke about; on April 1st or any day of the year. Each year millions of women and families, across the world and around the globe, struggle with infertility or the death of a child; during pregnancy, at birth, in infancy and beyond. Don’t be an April Fool! Fake pregnancy announcements are offensive, insensitive and cruel; and lack creativity too! Sincerely, Every Woman and Family Struggling With Infertility and Baby Loss

I lit my love for. . . Share the names of your precious little people, gone but not forgotten, in the comments, and from where in the world you joined the Wave... of Light. Join #waveoflight2021 here: fb.me/e/h8mPsa9J6 #PAiL #rollcallofremembrance #waveoflight2020 #waveoflight #PAiLglobalilluminationproject

The International Wave of Light invites baby loss families, friends, loved ones and supporting organizations from around the world to join in honor and remembrance of all loved and longed for babies gone too soon on October 15 at 7:00 pm in all time zones. Invite your friends! Help us honour all of the babies we have lost. Invite your friends and family to join you in lighting a candle in memory of all of our Angel Babies.... Roll Call of Remembrance If you would like to have your child included in this year's Roll Call of Remembrance, please send us their name and picture to [email protected]

IRIS is still looking for pictures from the October 15th lightings in the state of Minnesota. Do you have pictures from: 100 Washington Square Building, Minnea...polis Allianz Field (MN United Soccer Field), St. Paul August Schell Brewery Chimney, New Ulm (red spotlight) Enger Tower, Duluth France Avenue, Edina IDS Center, Minneapolis Louisiana/Highway 7 Bridge, St. Louis Park LuMinn Hotel, Minneapolis ONB Bank, Rochester (lavender) Roebling Bridge, Granite Falls Target Field (Twins Stadium), Minneapolis US Bank Stadium (Vikings Stadium), Minneapolis We have pictures from the following MN locations: 35W Bridge, Minneapolis Infants Remembered In Silence Office, Faribault Morristown MN Government Building Paradise Center for the Arts, Faribault Premier Bank, Faribault Roebling Bridge, Granite Falls Sperry Tower, Eagan State Bank, Faribault We are also looking for pictures from the following locations: Canada CN Tower, Toronto Toronto City Sign Toronto City Hall Towers Colorado Performance Hall - University of Northern CO, Greeley CO (all week) University Center University of Northern CO, Greeley CO Delaware Delaware Legislative Dome, Dover DE Georgia Skyview Atlanta Wheel, Atlanta GA Hawaii Aloha Tower, Honolulu HI Indiana Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge, Ft. Wayne IN Kansas Lied Center of Kansas, Lawrence KS Flint Hills Discovery Center, Manhattan KS (lit in lavender) Massachusetts Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge, Boston MA (lighting on Oct 12th) Kenneth F. Burns Memorial Bridge, Worcester MA (purple) Maryland Baltimore City Hall Dome, Baltimore, MD New Jersey Benjamin Franklin Bridge, Camden NJ (purple) North Carolina Romare Bearden Park, Charlotte NC Nebraska Woodmen Life Center, Omaha NE New York Mid-Hudson Bridge, Highland NY Rundell Library, Rochester NY Ohio Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland OH Oklahoma Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory, Oklahoma City OK Oregon Union Street Railroad Bridge, Salem OR Pennsylvania FMC Tower at Cira Centre South, Philadelphia PA (lavender) South Dakota Townsquare, Rapid City SD (lavender) The Falls at Falls Park, Sioux Falls, SD (paid for with funding from Sanford Hospital) Tennessee State Capital Cupola, Nashville TN ( lit in purple) Virginia Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, Virginia Beach VA Can you help us out! We would love to see any of the pictures that you have from Oct. 15th.

Wave of Light 2021 Photo Project It’s not to late to share your candle lighting and campaign illumination photos! We are accepting photos from #waveoflight2020,... and #waveoflight years prior, for inclusion in a special Wave of Light 2021 Video Presention, and future Wave of Light campaign presentations. Participating in the International Wave of Light’s photo projects, and promotional campaigns is as easy as 1., 2., 3. To Participate: 1. Share photo in comments. 2. Using Wave of Light hashtags followed by the year and country of participation, ex. #waveoflight2009, #waveoflight2014, #waveoflightUSA, #waveoflightUK, etc. 3. Name of loved one(s) you are remembering. Join Wave of Light 2021 Official Event, and share, as we remember together. Join and share #waveoflight2021 here: https://fb.me/e/h8mPsa9J6 Photo credit: NHS, Dudley Group Neonatal ICU, Wave of Light 2020.

Bear Care Cub Club House International Wave of Light 2020 #waveoflight #waveoflight2020 #PAiLglobalilluminationproject

Miniature Memorial Keepsake giveaway. . . . .... . . . . . . . . Comment on original post attached. #waveoflight #waveoflight2020 #pailglobalilluminationproject #pinkandblue #goPINKandBLUE #PAiL #Babyloss #PAiLgiveaway

International Wave of Light 2021 Join family, friends, loved ones, and supporting organizations from across the world and around the globe, coast, to coast, too coast, wherever in the world you may be, from sea to shining sea, as we unite collectively, in remembrance of our precious little people; gone too soon #waveoflight #waveoflight2021 #PAiLglobalilluminationproject