All of us at Memories by Mandy would like to personally thank this couple for allowing us to capture such an intimate time in their lives, and also allowing us to share their story. It was an absolute honor to capture Connor. This session was by far my most emotional session to date, but it gave me the courage to want to help other families. I have volunteered for an incredible organization called Empty Arms. If you or someone you know as suffered through child loss at any stage in pregnancy or after birth, please contact them for support. Here are all the details of this incredible organization:
What is Empty Arms?
Empty Arms Perinatal Loss Support Services Inc. is a new charity that serves Saskatoon and area. It is the legacy of my daughter, Jael Herchak, who was born still at 20 weeks gestation on May 6th, 2013. After Jael was born, my husband and I left the hospital in shock and heartbroken. After some time, we began to regret all of the things we did not do before we said our final goodbyes to Jael.
The time a family has with their little one is far too short and so very precious. Experiencing the death of a baby, under any circumstances, is such a lonely experience and having the specialized supportof someone who can help navigate those moments can make all of the difference in the world. We want to ensure that families make the most of the time they have with their baby and that their experience is as positive as possible, given the circumstances.
We offer support and services to families whose babies die before, during, or after birth in any trimester. Circumstances under which we offer support includes, but is not limited to: miscarriage, missed miscarriage, stillbirth, difficult diagnosis, carrying to term (CTT) or termination for medical reasons (TFMR) in the case of a fatal diagnosis, or neonatal death.
Our services include the following:
- Certified birth & bereavement support
- Supported use of our CuddleCot, in hospital or in the home
- Professional photography (“maternity” and/or “newborn”)
- Memory making options and guidance
- Lactation consultation
- Post-partum information and support
- Monthly support group (Gone Too Soon)
- Online support group
- One-on-one mentoring
- Resources for family members (siblings, grandparents, etc.)
If someone has experienced/is experiencing a loss, how do they go about getting help?
If support is required immediately, a call can be placed to myself, Jasmin Herchak, at 306-260-6806. If it is not an emergency, we can be reached by email at support@emptyarmspls.com or by messaging our facebook page ( www.facebook.com/EmptyArmsPLS )
What is the cost for people wanting to get help from our organization?
All support and services are offered absolutely free of charge to families.
How does someone donate to Empty Arms and where do the donations go?
Donations can be made to Empty Arms in the following ways:
- A cheque can be mailed to:
EmptyArms
P.O. Box 2 Waldheim,SKS0K 4R0
- An e-transfer can be sent to donations@emptyarmpls.com The answer to the security question can then be sent in a separate email.
- Donations can also be made by credit card or through PayPal by visiting the following link,
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=BAKMW2GMHD3SW
(Instructions and links can also be found on our facebook pagewww.facebook.com/EmptyArmsPLS )
All donations made to Empty Arms go towards supporting baby loss families. Operating a charity such as Empty Arms is no small feat and, since we do not charge families for any services, there are many costs associated with offering this type of support; things such as gift bags of mementos for families, honorariums for our birth & bereavement companions and photographers, supplies for the volunteers….We are a provincially registered non-profit organization (Nonprofit # 101286444) so any money raised/donated goes towards our goal of ensuring baby loss families have the support and resources they need.
Since we are a registered charity (Charity # 80982 6969 RR0001) we are able to issue receipts for income tax purposes. No matter which method is chosen for making a donation, we require the following information in order to issue a receipt: Full name (including middle initial) Mailing address and email address.
We appreciate donations of any amount, but we are only able to issue receipts for donations of $25 or more. Receipts are issued electronically within 5 business days of processing.
Are you looking for volunteers?
Yes, we are definitely interested in acquiring more volunteers! In order to reach the point where we can make sure we are able to provide support and services to any baby loss family who may be interested, we need a large group of individuals willing to be on call at designated times. We are looking for professional photographers, people who may be interested in certifying as a birth & bereavement doula, people who are interested in training to offer only bereavement support after baby is born, and ‘veteran’ baby loss parents who may be interested in offering 1-on-1 peer support to new perinatal loss parents. Due to the sensitive nature of these positions, we do have a process for learning more about those interested. This includes an application, information forms, an informal interview, and a criminal record check with a vulnerable sector search.
We also welcome volunteers who may be interested in helping with fundraising endeavors.
Those interested can send an email to info@emptyarmspls.com, indicating what volunteer position they would like more information about or what they are interested in applying for.
