New Derry led pregnancy and baby loss booklet to launch to support families during Baby Loss Awareness Week
Park Medical along with The Western Health and Social Care Trust (Western Trust) in partnership with the GP Federation and Derry Well Women are inviting the public to the launch of a new ‘Willows Embrace’ booklet which aims to provide a helpful and accessible resource to support families through pregnancy and baby loss as part of Baby Loss Awareness Week.
Speaking about the new resource designed to offer comfort and support to families affected by pregnancy and baby loss, Maria Fullerton, Social Worker at Park Medical Practice, said: “Willows Embrace: A Gentle Guide Through Pregnancy and Baby Loss will be launched at the Great Hall, Guildhall, Derry, on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, from 10am to 12 noon.”
“The resource has been co-designed with the lived experience of parents who have suffered pregnancy and baby loss to offer compassionate and accessible information to families navigating the devastating experience of pregnancy or baby loss. It aims to provide reassurance, support and practical guidance at a time when families can feel overwhelmed and unsure where to turn.”
Maria continued: “Pregnancy and baby loss can have a profound and lasting impact on parents, siblings and wider families. Willows Embrace seeks to acknowledge the individual nature of grief while helping families understand that they do not have to face their experience alone. The launch will bring together professionals, families and those with an interest in improving awareness and support surrounding pregnancy and baby loss.
“The event will also provide an opportunity to recognise the babies who are remembered by their families and to promote greater understanding of the emotional and practical support that can be offered following loss.
“Willows Embrace has been created with compassion at its heart. Pregnancy and baby loss can be an incredibly difficult and isolating experience, and this resource aims to offer families a gentle source of information, comfort and support when they need it most. We hope the launch will help raise awareness of the impact of pregnancy and baby loss and encourage conversations about how we can better support families through what can be an extremely difficult journey.”
If you are interested in attending the event on October 13, email: [email protected] by Tuesday October 6, 2026.