Bereaved families to unite online during 4Louis charity's first viritual service for Baby Loss Awareness Week

Charity 4Louis is holding its first online service to mark Baby Loss Awareness Week just before 7pm tonight, Thursday, October 15.

The charity set up by Kirsty McGurrell, from Washington, supports families across the UK affected by miscarriage, stillbirth and and the death of a baby or child.

Kirsty founded the charity ten years ago after losing her own son, Louis, in 2009.

For the last seven years 4Louis has marked Baby Loss Awareness Week with a ‘Wave of Light’ service at Souter Lighthouse, which sees hundreds of people gather to light a candle in tribute to their child.

Countries around the world also light a candle at 7pm, creating a ‘light wave’ of remembrance.

This year the service will be live streamed on the 4Louis Facebook page shortly before 7pm in a bid to bring together families safely during the coronavirus pandemic.

It follows a week of Sunderland landmarks being illuminated in pink and blue to raise awareness.

The landmarks are; Penshaw Monument; Northern Spire Bridge; Keel Square; Roker Cliffe Park Lighthouse and High Street West, Sunderland.

The service will include readings, poems and music before the names of 600 children are displayed in a bid to honour their memory.

Hundreds of people are expected to take part.

Victoria Usher, 4Louis events manager and trustee, said: "Baby Loss Awareness Week aims to bring the subject to the forefront of everyone’s minds.

“The illuminated landmarks help to create that conversation about child loss and to raise a bit of awareness in the hope of breaking the silence around it.

"Having the virtual event gives families from further afield who wouldn’t normally be able to come to the event at Souter Lighthouse to take part [and] it means families may also feel more comfortable being in their own homes to join in.”

Charity 4Louis works to produce memory boxes to help grieving parents build memories of their children and come to terms with their own loss.

It also fundraises to fund bereavement and family rooms in hospitals, a private space for families to spend time with their child as they prepare to say goodbye.

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