It is natural to want to talk about your baby. You probably think about him or her all the time and continuously relive the circumstances of his or her birth and death. Your grief is very intense and you experience so many different emotions at the same time that you may feel unable to cope. These feelings are normal and it helps to express them.

It can be particularly helpful to talk to someone else who has had a baby who has died. You can do so by contacting ISANDS Support Team. All the members of the Support Team are trained and are parents who themselves have had a baby who died. They can be reached from any location in the country by leaving a message on the ISANDS Support phone line.

Parents Support Meetings
We also organise Parent Support Meetings. These are informal meetings where parents can talk to each other, facilitated by a trained member of the Support Team. Many parents find that they feel less isolated and alone after meeting other parents who are going through similar feelings of grief.

Sometimes parents say that they would be unable to speak at a meeting and we always say that no one should feel under pressure to share their experience. Sometimes just listening to other parents sharing their stories can help us to identify thoughts and feelings we may be having ourselves.

Hi Everyone,
Here is a list on our Parent Support dates for 2010. Some venues still have to be confirmed and there may be slight adjustments to dates depending on numbers attending, so please keep an eye on this listing.

We will also review attendance numbers for new locations and may have to adjust dates for those locations later but for the moment this it the list for the year. We may also add some other locations during the year.

ISANDS Support Services 2010

Dublin

Parent Support Meetings - Facilitated by Peter Hanlon and ISANDS

Meetings venue-
The Louis Fitzgerald Hotel, Naas Rd, Dublin (Beside Joels Restaurant)
Time-8-10pm

Tuesday April 20th
Tuesday May 18th
Tuesday June 15th
Tuesday Sept 21st
Tuesday Oct 19th
Tuesday Nov 16th

Informal Christmas Get Together - Louis Fitzgerald Hotel

Saturday Dec. 18th

Other Events Dublin-

Blessing of Remembrance –
Old Angels Memory Garden ONLY- Glasnevin Cemetery-

May 30th 3pm

Christmas Service of Remembrance –
St. Nicholas of Myra Church, Francis Street, Dublin
Dec. 5th 7.30pm

Blessing/Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
New Angles Graves ONLY-Glasnevin Cemetery
Dec. 12th 4pm

Cork

The River Lee Hotel, formerly Jurys Hotel, 2 - 4pm.

Parent Support Meetings -Facilitated by Peter Hanlon and ISANDS

Saturday May 22nd
Saturday Sept 4th
Saturday Nov 13th

Service of Remembrance –venue to be decided
Nov. 14th 3pm -possible?

Waterford

Granville Hotel, 8-10pm

Informal Parent Support Meeting facilitate by ISANDS

Friday May 21st

Parent Support Meetings -Facilitated by Peter Hanlon and ISANDS

Saturday June 19th
Saturday Sept 18th
Saturday October –date to be confirmed

Service of Remembrance - venue/date to be decided- October

Athlone

Hodson Bay Hotel

Parent Support Meetings -Facilitated by Peter Hanlon and ISANDS

Wednesday May 12th
Wednesday Sept 1st
Wednesday Nov 24th

Mayo – Claremorris

Venue to be decided

Informal Parent Support Meeting facilitate by ISANDS

Saturday June -date has to be verified

Cavan

Cavan Crystal Hotel

Informal Parent Support Meeting facilitated by ISANDS

Friday May 7th

Parent Support Meetings -Facilitated by Peter Hanlon and ISANDS

Wednesday June 2nd
Wednesday Sept 8th
Wednesday Dec 1st

Service of Remembrance - (Summer Months)

Donegal – Ballyshannon

Venue to be decided

Informal Parent Support Meeting facilitated by ISANDS

Saturday May. 8th 2pm