History

 

Helping Bereaved Families Since 1977

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Share is dedicated to supporting parents and families throughout the   United States, as well as internationally. Most of the states, as well as Canada and England, have local offices to provide support.

 

Significant Events & Changes in Share History

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1976     

  • established an AMEND (Aiding Mothers and Fathers Experiencing Neonatal Death) chapter in Decatur, Illinois after meeting will St. Louis AMEND organization

 

1977

  • began Share group at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Illinois

 1978

  • began providing education on perinatal loss and bereavement in hospitals, colleges, seminaries and the groups

1979

  • researched means of removing bereaved parent’s names from mailing lists for unwelcome advertisements and published address nationally
  • began process of providing parents burial options for miscarried babies
  • Peppers and Knapp published the first book on perinatal loss and included a section about Share
  • negotiated with First Foto to begin providing free pictures for those parents whose baby had died

 1980

  • established a symbol to be placed on the door of the bereaved parents’ room to alert staff of the baby’s death
  • developed a hospital packet of information for bereaved families 

 

1981

  • began working with national media
  • local Share couple featured on Phil Donahue Show
  • revised an earlier checklist created for caregivers to use when a baby dies
  • wrote a policy on burial of miscarried babies
  • developed a list of parents willing to help other parents (local and national listings)
  • began assisting parents in planning burial and memorial services

 

1982

  • received citation Award from Catholic Health Association (CHA) at Boston CHA Assembly
  • held first parent training session for peer support and hospital visitation
  • produced “Reaching Out to the Bereaved,” a slide presentation

 

1984

  • began working with First Foto to create an acceptable consent/release form
  • published Thumpy’s Story, a children’s bereavement book edited by Nancy Dodge 

1985

  • began working more extensively with bereaved siblings

 1986

  • assisted and encouraged Tom Zerbel, a funeral director, in the development of burial cradles
  • published Thumpy’s Story in Spanish
  • signing of Illinois proclamation declaring October as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.

 1987

  • began international presentations
  • developed Certificate of Life for miscarried babies

 1988

  • relocated the National Share Office to Belleville, Illinois
  • published the book Bittersweet…Hellogoodbye, a resource manual for planning farewell rituals when a baby dies

 

1991

  • changed organization name from S.H.A.R.E. (Source of Help for Airing & Resolving Experience) to Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support, Inc.
  • worked with national leaders in creating Rights of Parents When a Baby Dies and Rights of the Baby
  • relocated the National Share Office to the campus of St. Joseph Health Center (who agreed to provide in-kind services) in St. Charles, Missouri
  • became an independent, not-for-profit organization and Cathi Lammert, RN, assumed position of Executive Director

 

1992

  • began receiving grants from national foundations to fund the Share newsletter and out-reach and education
  • hosted a perinatal bereavement team of professionals from England

 

1993

  • became a member of the National Coalition for Positive Outcome in Pregnancy
  • acted as consultant for Remembrance of the Innocents Memorial Wall in Wisconsin
  • acted as a consultant for the documentary Miscarriage, No Time to Cry, produced by Silver Media of Vancouver, British Columbia.

 

1994

  • served as consultant for First Foto in the updating of their Infant Bereavement Photography program
  • published first edition of “Caring Notes,” a newsletter for Share caregivers
  • offered training sessions for Share Caregivers

 

1995

  • testified before the FDA in support of their continued approval of the use of home uterine activity monitors
  • met with Dr. Stanley Zinberg, Director of Practice Activities, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and explained the mission and activities of Share
  • chosen by The Christmas Box Foundation as one of the three organizations to receive funds

1996

  • installed a national 800-number
  • Angelic Presence edited by Sue Frideck and Cathi Lammert
  • consulted with Paraclete Video to produce the videos Footprints on Our Hearts for bereaved parents, and At A Loss for Words for family and friends

 1997

  • celebrated Share’s Twentieth anniversary in St. Louis at Share’s Perinatal Loss Conference

 1998

  • dedicated the Angel of Hope Monument on October 18th
  • served as consultant and Speaker for 11th Perinatal Loss Conference in Baltimore, Maryland
  • served as advisor to SIDS training committee exploring other infant deaths
  • worked with national leaders to develop an advisory team for the bi-annual National Perinatal Bereavement Conference

 

1999

  • established website with message board and chat room
  • testified at a Massachusetts Department of Public Health hearing in response to a couple’s rights being violated following the death of their baby at 14 weeks gestation
  • developed a catalog of perinatal bereavement books and videos

 2000

  • served as a consultant and speaker for 12th Perinatal Loss Conference held in Cincinnati, Ohio
  • served as consultant for Growing Family/First Foto in the updating of their Infant Bereavement Photography program
  • published “Rights of Parents Who Experienced an Early Loss,” compiled by Perry-Lynn Moffitt, author of A SILENT SORROW
  • interviewed for a broadcast on National Public Radio (NPR)
  • interviewed for Lutheran Hour Ministries program, “On Main Street” and for print articles in SELF-Magazine regarding the death of a baby

 

2001

  • interviewed by Chicago Tribune and Catholic News Service on the issue of early loss disposition rights
  • called to testify before Illinois House of Representatives Human Services Committee on HB 382, a bill to amend the disposition of remains law to give parents the option of burying their miscarried babies of less than 20 weeks gestation
  • invited to participate in a workshop on stillbirth research at the National Institute of Health
  • participated at Missouri Statewide Infant Mortality Summit
  • advocated for a national proclamation declaring October 15th Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day

 2002

  • expanded National Share website
  • coordinated Perinatal Loss Alliance Meeting
  • served as a consultant and speaker at the 13th Perinatal Bereavement Conference in Austin, Texas
  • hosted the first annual Share National Walk to Remember in St. Louis, Missouri

 

2003

  • celebrated Share’s 25th anniversary with the first annual Angel Ball
  • developed local Share Companions Program
  • Cathi Lammert became Co-President of the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Alliance (PLIDA)
  • interviewed for Lutheran Hour Ministries program, a nationally syndicated program on pregnancy loss and infertility.

 

2004

  • served as a consultant and coordinator for the 14th Perinatal Bereavement conference in Las Vegas, Nevada
  • interviewed for CBS Morning Show for regarding perinatal loss
  • invited to participate in the Stillbirth Research Roundtable in Bethesda, Maryland
  • acted as a consultant and advocate for local Missouri legislators when passing legislation for a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth and disposition rights
  • expanded resource catalog
  • expanded the Share Walk to Remember to 15 cities

 2005

  • changed logo wording to use Share, not SHARE and added a tag line, touching lives, healing hearts, giving hope
  • chosen to host an American Girl fashion show 
  • updated and expanded Share website
  • received large grant from the Gidwitz Foundation to educate chaplains nation-wide on the needs of bereaved parents
  • moderated nation-wide telecast with National Head Start
  • dedicated the Cardinals Care Walkway expanding the Angel of Hope brick way at Ben Rau Memorial Garden in St. Charles, Missouri

   

2006

  • asked to be moderator and consultant for a series of perinatal loss bereavement videos with DIA Learning in St. Louis, Missouri
  • Share Program Directors attended Association of Professional Chaplain convention in Atlanta, Georgia
  • changed name of Share Walk to Share Walk for Remembrance and Hope
  • interviewed by local San Francisco CBS radio affiliate