Pregnancy Loss Support Packages

Our project began when we recognized that 1 in 4 women experience a miscarriage (pregnancy loss before 20 weeks), yet there is little support in place to help these women process their loss and heal. We set out to create support packages that healthcare providers could hand out for free to any patients who have experienced a miscarriage. We drew on ideas from surrounding cities, and spoke with women who’ve personally experienced a miscarriage, to put together a list of items to be included. Some items are based on occupational therapy foundations, addressing the mental health impact that a miscarriage can have on individuals. Our package includes educational information that has been reviewed by a doctor, a list of additional resources (i.e., warm line, support group), mental health tools (mindfulness strategies, a journal, and colouring materials), and a bracelet to remember their baby and the resilience they showed throughout their healing journey. We have partnered with Willow Family Wellness Occupational Therapy Services and are using some of their resources, such as space to hold the supplies and volunteers to make the packages; however, we need financial support to acquire the materials to build the packages. Currently, the number of miscarriages within the Kingston community is unknown, as these health records are not reported. Therefore, we are currently unsure how many packages would need to be distributed each month. This grant is an optimal amount for this initiative – many other grants are too large given the inconclusive number of support packages that would be needed within the Kingston community. This grant would fund this pilot project and will help us to determine the effectiveness of this project and how many packages are utilized, guiding our future steps.

Financé par Kingston (September 2025)