Honoring pregnancy loss in perpetuity.
Honor. Equip. Acknowledge. Remember. Teach.
The H.E.A.R.T Garden concept was brought to life in 2021 after co-founder Wrenn Skidmore experienced the pain of recurrent pregnancy loss. Ruth Walls, her mother and community activist, recognized a need for change not only around the conversation about pregnancy loss but also around how we remember these losses.
We learned there were places to bury children and infants but not a place to honor, or mark the loss of a pregnancy. When a pregnancy ends, there isn’t always something physical to bury.
Until this point, for those who have lost a pregnancy often burial grounds and memorials become our bathrooms or a medical office, a memory box with a positive pregnancy test tucked in the back of the closet. H.E.A.R.T aims to change this reality by partnering with local cemeteries and memorial gardens to honor pregnancy loss.
We Strive To…
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Honor
Honor parents and families who have experienced pregnancy loss by legitimizing this experience. We want to provide a meaningful space where a pregnancy loss can be honored in perpetuity.
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Equip
Equipping local cemeteries to honor pregnancy loss. We know that having a place to memorialize a lost pregnancy can aid in the grieving and healing process.
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Acknowledge
Acknowledge the fact that pregnancy loss exists despite stigma and lack of conversation around the topic. Provide a physical space to support conversation around this taboo subject.
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Remember
We believe that a pregnancy loss, no matter how many weeks, is a genuine loss. And, no matter the circumstances it is a loss deserving of remembrance. We welcome memorialization of all types of pregnancy related losses – lost embryos, chemical pregnancy, miscarriage, late term loss, termination for medical reasons (TFMR), and abortion.
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Teach
Provide education about the impact of pregnancy loss and benefits of memorial spaces for grieving families
