Today I’m going to share a little bit about the non-profit I started, along with my husband, called Hannah’s Heart and Love. But before I get into that, I want to share a little bit of our story leading up to the start of Hannah’s Heart and Love.
At our baby’s routine 20 week anatomy scan it was discovered that our baby had many different anomalies and was instantly labeled “incompatible with life.” We were told that we should terminate our baby asap. Termination was suggested because of the health risks to me. However, we refused because we do not believe in termination. We chose to carry our baby for as long as she lived and I was physically able to.
Our baby was carried with nothing but love. We cherish the short time we had with her. On December 23rd, 2013 our daughter, Hannah, was born still in her 24th week. She weighed just 1lb 3oz and was 10in long.
After Hannah passed away, my husband and I both knew we wanted to do something in Hannah’s honor to help other baby loss families. We weren't sure exactly what that should be, but we knew God would guide, direct, and give us an answer. And He did. The answer was given in February 2014 and by October 2014 Hannah’s Heart and Love was officially a 501(c)(3) non-profit.
The mission of Hannah’s Heart and Love is to provide resources, support, and items to moms, dads, and families that have lost a baby through miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, and infant death. Hannah’s Heart and Love also provides resources, support, and items to moms that choose to carry their baby after receiving a fatal in utero diagnosis. Hannah’s Heart and Love wants to raise awareness and educate the community about baby loss through miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, and infant death.
Here are the services Hannah’s Heart and Love currently offers:
Resources – Offering an extensive list of resources for all types of baby loss and carrying to term including keepsakes, websites, funeral memorial help, ideas for pregnancy and after birth, websites, books, songs, versus, blog posts from baby loss families, and more helping moms, dads, and families of baby loss navigate through this heartbreaking journey.
Support (Local) – Creating a safe space for moms and dads of baby loss to come together in order to express their feelings in an understanding and judgment free environment. Providing a local sense of community that promotes healthy grieving and mourning. Sharing and creating local in-person events for moms, dads, and families of baby loss, as well as, including the local community to raise awareness.
Support (Worldwide) – Providing information about online and in-person support groups for moms, dads, and families of baby loss. Sharing information about events that are happening within the baby loss community, both online and in-person, that promote healing.
Recovery Boxes – Supplying recovery boxes to moms of baby loss that focus both on her physical and emotional needs. These recovery boxes are providing a sense of comfort and let these moms know that they are not alone. Items including in these recovery boxes include candles, pads, tissues, snacks, books on baby loss, and much more.
In addition to these services my husband and I also speak at various events and to groups. We share our personal story, information about Hannah’s Heart and Love, and bring awareness and education.
We have met many women who have a friend, sister, or relative lose their baby. These women were not only heartbroken for their friend, sister, or relative, but were desperate to know how to be supportive and not cause any unintentional pain and hurt. At every speaking engagement we provide a packet for each attendee. Included in this packet are resources on how and what to say to a bereaved mom and dad. We also include an article on the rights of a bereaved mom and dad. We put together a short video about baby loss that we show attendees at these events and online.
It is our hope and prayer this video helps others really begin to understand how devastating the loss of a baby truly is. We are so honored and grateful to the parents who shared the images of their precious babies for this video
Through something tragic God can create good things and we wanted to use our journey of baby loss to help others. Our daughter Hannah was only here for a short time but she has inspired so much good.
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Heather Kimble lives in the Philadelphia area. She is married to her best friend, Jason and is mommy to Hannah Sue Kimble. Hannah is her only child. Heather carried Hannah after receiving a fatal diagnosis and was told to terminate. Heather was told to terminate based on the serious risk to her own personal health. She doesn't believe in termination and chose to carry Hannah with love. Hannah passed away and was born sleeping on December 23rd, 2013. Heather and Jason treasure every moment they had with Hannah during pregnancy and after delivery. Hannah has inspired a nonprofit started by her parents to help others and to help break the silence by sharing their journey of baby loss.
Heather is the Co-Founder and President of the 501(c)(3) non-profit Hannah’s Heart and Love. Hannah’s Heart and Love was inspired by their daughter Hannah to help others and to help break the silence of baby loss.
www.hannahsheartandlove.org
www.facebook.com/hannahsheartnlove
twitter @hannahheartlove
instagram @hannahsheartnlove
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