This post is part of our “Meet our Volunteers” series where we introduce you to a Sharing Parents volunteer, his or her story and baby(ies), and what they appreciate about volunteering.
Name: Nicola
Baby’s Loss Date: October 7, 2014
Volunteer Role: Outreach Coordinator
5 years ago I gave birth to our second child, Ezekiel.
We found out very early in my pregnancy that he had a lethal form of dwarfism that was “not compatible with life.” This is a random genetic mutation that happens at conception. We chose to carry him to term and on October 7, 2014 he was born. We spent 90 glorious minutes with him before he passed. It was the best and worst day of my life.
What has been most helpful to me in my journey has been to do things to honor our son’s memory. Whether it’s attending the Sharing Parents Memorial every year or hanging a stocking for him at Christmas, creating moments where I can honor his memory has been healing for me. Sharing Parents has been an amazing tool for me to learn about grief and share with others. My husband and I attended the Navigating Grief series when our son first passed away. I walked away from that series with some great knowledge that I hadn’t had before.
I chose to volunteer to serve families who are likely going through the hardest and most horrible thing anyone can endure. To know that somehow, I am helping them in their journey is so rewarding and gratifying. I have served mostly as the Outreach Coordinator for Sharing Parents over the last few years. I enjoy this position because I am passionate about making sure people know about what Sharing Parents and and what valuable resource it is.
