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Dear bereaved parents and those who support them,
 
If you are new to Bereaved Parents of Madison, welcome. We are glad you have found us and are so sorry you are here. We hope you find the content of this newsletter helpful in some small way on your grief journey. Each month we try to highlight a member’s story; this month, Michelle shares her family’s story and how she found herself again after the death of her son, James. Check out our newsletter archive or member stories page to read other stories and find additional resources.
In July 2018, our son James was born. After being in the NICU with him for 16 hours a day for a week, we found out he was born with a severe brain injury. With that he was moved to a children’s hospital a few days later for a g-tube surgery and more testing. We eventually found out that James may never walk, talk or be able to fully eat on his own. The doctors didn’t know for sure what his outlook would be. While they tried to give us an idea of what his and our future would look like, they never talked about his longevity.
 
"My imperfectly perfect family; my dream of what our family would look like was crushed to pieces."
 
Having a special needs child changes who you are. Your life revolves around their specialized doctor appointments, their therapy, their equipment. Your other children sacrifice too. They get taken on appointments, they don’t get as much attention and they’re expected to help out more. They grow up faster than they should. Your special needs child becomes who you and your family are. It’s your identity. 

Continue reading...
Do you have a story you'd like to share in an upcoming newsletter?
We'd like to hear about it. Follow the link below to fill out an easy form.
Submit a story or idea here
Support for Families
All BPoM in-person support, group meetings, and events are suspended until further notice. 
Your health and safety are important to us; we also want to find ways to keep supporting you. We are working on ways to make virtual connections with you during this time.

Join us on Facebook! 
You can find our public Facebook page here or request to join our private Facebook page here. Our private page is a great place to connect with other loss families and share your thoughts and feelings, good, bad, or in between.
If you need one-on-one peer support during this time please call us at (920) 643-0217.
We will connect you with a HUGS volunteer. 
January Support Events
Not all the events listed below are BPoM events. Please check the individual organization websites to see how, or if, they will be hosted. 
Month of January: BPOM Book Club
Join us as we read ‘An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination: A Memoir’ by Elizabeth McCracken. Please fill out this Google Form to RSVP and request a copy of the book. We will discuss the book on the 24th; find details below.
1/7: Kull Counseling Miscarriage Support Group  (1st Thursday)
5:30 - 6:45 pm
1/11: Bo's Heavenly Clubhouse (2nd Monday)
5:30 - 7:00 pm
Support Meetings at Higher Grounds Coffee Shop in Beaver Dam
1/14: GPS Hope Janesville (2nd Thursday)
6:30 pm
1/21: Compassionate Friends Monona (3rd Thursday)
7:00 - 8:30 pm
The support group is meeting virtually. Please email Gina at gma2293@gmail.com for details.
1/21: BPoM Support Group (3rd Thursday)
7:30 - 9:00 pm
Note: We will meet virtually through Zoom. Please watch our Facebook page or website for details.
1/24: BPoM Book Club Discussion Group
9:30am
Note: We will meet virtually through Zoom. Please email events@bereavedparentsofmadison.com for details.
1/25: Bo's Heavenly Clubhouse (4th Monday)
5:30 - 7:00 pm
Support Meetings at Higher Grounds Coffee Shop in Beaver Dam
6:00 pm
We will meet virtually through Zoom. Please email rpom@bereavedparentsofmadison.com for details.
Articles & Helpful Links
Crisis Support
We have listed some of the local options that our community has for crisis support on our website. Please, please reach out to someone who can help you if you are in crisis. There are calling and texting options available. Click for crisis support resources.
Mental Health Professionals
We have a list of local therapists who specialize in pregnancy and infant loss on our website. Our members have seen other local providers not included on this list and have provided recommendations on our private Facebook group page, too. You can search for posts about this topic by clicking the magnifying glass within the page.

If you are a provider who specializes in working with families after pregnancy loss, stillbirth, infant loss, and the wide variety of mental health challenges our families face, please let us know at info@bereavedparetnsofmadison.com.
The Children's Health Alliance of WI has a list of bereavement resources listed by county around the state of Wisconsin. This is a valuable resource for families and providers.
We always suggest that you reach out to a group before referring a family to be sure that the group continues to be active.
News & Opportunities
2020 NILMDTS Services
Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep (NILMDTS)’s mission is to introduce remembrance photography to parents suffering the loss of a baby with a free gift of professional portraiture.
Their hospital services have been limited due to the pandemic. You can send your own photos to NILMDTS for professional digital retouching here.

Are you a member of the medical community? Access their free course and posing guide to assist families in the link above.
We're looking for volunteers!
We have opportunities to get involved from as little as 1 or 2 hours of your time once a year or monthly. Can you help check the box for us? To learn more, email us at outreach@bereavedparentsofmadison.com
· Organizing events
· Sharing your story with groups
· HUGS
· Mailing the annual newsletter or organizing the e-newsletter
Help make handmade baby blankets and gowns
Mikayla's Grace is looking for volunteers to make handmade items for their Angel Memory Boxes. Click here to learn more.
Contact
Call 920-643-0217 (On-call support coordinator: Claire, Emily, or Sam.)
Email info@bereavedparentsofmadison.com
Website www.bereavedparentsofmadison.com
Monthly Support Calendar SUBSCRIBE
Public Facebook: PUBLIC Bereaved Parents of Madison Inc
Private Facebook Support: Bereaved Parents of Madison Inc (by request to join)
Website
Email
Facebook - Private Page
Facebook - Public Page
Copyright © *2020* *Bereaved Parents of Madison, Inc.*, All rights reserved.

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Bereaved Parents of Madison · PO Box 46511 · Madison, WI 53744-6511 · USA

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