West Lothian mum says her daughter 'has a space in the world' as charity mural marks Baby Loss Awareness Week
Kelly Jackson lost her daughter Grace in February 2021
A West Lothian mum who lost her baby girl has said that a new mural marking Baby Loss Awareness Week has given her daughter a “space in the world” again.
Edinburgh-based charity Held In our Hearts unveiled the Milestone Mural at Omni Centre to mark Baby Loss Awareness Week, which took place from Friday, October 9 until Thursday, October 15.
The colourful artwork was hung in the city centre complex, with bereaved parents adding names of the children they have lost to the mural.
One parent who took part in the event was West Lothian mum Kelly Jackson, who added her daughter Grace’s name to the mural after she lost her baby daughter in February 2021.
She said: “Grace was the most perfect little baby.
“She had a mass of black hair and was everything I could ever have hoped for as a first-time mum. The time we had with Grace was brief, but the love she left us will last a lifetime, and that is what I carry with me every day.”
She said that adding Grace’s name to the Milestone Mural was “both comforting and mournful at the same time”, adding: “As a bereaved parent, I don’t often get the opportunity to write her name or chat about her with other people.
“Having her name written on the mural means that, even for a moment, she is here — not just a memory. It gives her a space in the world and gives me an opportunity to share her with others.”
Kelly turned to Held In Our Hearts for help and support following her daughter’s death.
The charity, which is marking its 30th anniversary this year, has campaigned on behalf of bereaved parents across the country for compassionate and specialist support.
Held In our Hearts has also launched the Hospital-to-Home early intervention support in five Scottish health boards, offering parents provides specialist, trauma- informed support in the first weeks following the death of a baby.
Kelly said: “It’s not a club anyone wants to find themselves in, but once you’re here, everyone wraps their arms around you, gives you the space to feel whatever you need to feel, and helps guide you towards a place where perhaps those milestones can be celebrated.”
Offering her support to other parents going through a similar situation, Kelly said: “To other families, whether you’re in the early depths of grief or still navigating it years later, please don’t be ashamed of how you feel or of seeking support. You are not alone in what you’re feeling, even when grief makes it seem that way.
“Sometimes, all we need is for someone to sit with us and listen as we talk about the beautiful baby we had.
“Our babies deserve to be spoken about, their names deserve to be said, and their lives deserve to be remembered. You don’t have to carry your grief alone, and you don’t have to navigate it all by yourself.”