What is H.E.A.R.T.S.?
The H.E.A.R.T.S. Baby Loss Support Program is a specialized program for anyone touched by the loss of a precious baby during pregnancy or anytime after birth. It is located in the rural hamlet of Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada ~ about 10 minutes from the capital city of Edmonton. Our program is open to any and all bereaved families in the Province of Alberta, and beyond. We have members from across Canada and around the World. Race, creed, gender, sexual orientation, financial status, choices or decisions made in pregnancy and during childbirth (including during a loss), parenting styles and family make up do not create a barrier to accessing our caring and compassionate support ~ ALL are welcome here.
Created in 1996 by two grieving families who both lost tiny babies before the end of their pregnancies (stillbirth and miscarriage), they realized that there were no programs or supports in their small community that they could tap into to heal from their unique experiences. Together they researched baby loss, created a unique name, a diverse curriculum and ran early focus groups before launching the full program to the community. Over the last 27 years, the H.E.A.R.T.S. Baby Loss Support Program has steadily grown to include local, regional, national and even international members.
H.E.A.R.T.S. is an acronym for "Helping Empty Arms Recover Through Sharing" and the focus of our program is to provide education, support, compassion and opportunities to meet other grieving baby loss parents. We offer registered workshops that are offered thru the year in person or online, as well as an Annual Baby Loss Retreat, an Annual Baby Steps Walk to Remember in the late Summer, an Annual Bridge Light honoring International Pregnancy and Infant Loss awareness day on October 15th, and an Annual Candle Light Memorial Service on the 2nd Sunday in December. We also offer individual and family counselling for families, at no cost, in person as well as with a virtual link or by phone.
Upcoming Events
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NEW for 2024!!
Beginning on Monday, January 22nd, 2024, we will offer a free online service for individual who wish to connect with one of our team members for a personal and confidential session. The H.E.A.R.T.S. Baby Loss Chatline will be open from Monday to Friday during the week, with the following schedule:
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Mondays from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Tuesdays from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Wednesdays from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Thursdays from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Fridays from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
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If someone is seeking support on the weekend, you are always welcome to tap in to the chat and if one of our team members is available, they may pop in for a moment to chat. However, we want to be very clear that this service is NOT a crisis line and therefore is not available 24 hours a day. In time, we hope to have extended hours but until we have a bigger team and more volunteers to fill in as well (all are screened, trained and mentored volunteers). The H.E.A.R.T.S. Baby Loss Chatline can be accessed by visiting our website (www.heartsbabyloss.com) and clicking on the chat bubble on the right side of the front page, bottom corner. During the scheduled hours, a team member will greet you, ask a few basic question and then the time is yours to ask questions, share your story, seek guidance, all in the comfort of your home, with confidentiality and one on one time that is just for you. We hope you'll try out this new service as part of our expansion plan. Thank you to the BriarPatch Family Life Education Centre (www.briarpatchfamilycentre.com) for providing the platform and our team members, and to the Tiny Footprints Gala (tinyfootprintsyeg.ca) for funds to offer this new initiative as we expand all of our programs and services.
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Join us at any or all of these free events.
Details posted on this website and on our Social Media
as we create these special gatherings for individuals,
families and the community at large.
2nd Annual Baby Loss Retreat:
"Dreams Interrupted for Baby Loss"
Spring 2024 ~ date to be announced
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12th Annual Baby Steps Walk to Remember:
Join us on Sunday, September 8th, 2024
Visit www.babystepswalk.com for more information
Edmonton, Alberta
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10th Annual High Level Bridge Lighting:
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
Constable Ezio Farone Park @ dusk
Edmonton, Alberta
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26th Annual Candle Light Memorial Service:
Sunday, December 8th 2024
Glenwood Memorial Gardens
Sherwood Park, Alberta
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