The Valeria Fund

10/04/2025

We have three upcoming commemorative events in October for families who have experienced pregnancy and infant loss. These gatherings offer space for reflection, connection, and healing:

1) A Quiet Evening of Remembrance: Finding Meaning After Loss

🗓️ Wednesday, October 8, 2025
⏳ 6-7pm
📍Forest Library, 61 King St W, Forest, ON
🔗 https://lclibrary.libnet.info/event/14615495 

2) PAIL Network Family Event

🗓️ Tuesday, October 14, 2025
⏳ 6-8pm
📍 St Joseph's Hospice, 475 Christina St N, Sarnia

🔗 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SarniaFamilyEvent.

3) Wave of Light ceremony

🗓️ Wednesday, October 15, 2025
⏳ 6:45-8pm
📍 Radiant Community Centre, 109 Mitton St S, Sarnia

🔗 https://forms.gle/YHbSxEkqydp3k9Jw6

10/01/2025

October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month—a tender time that holds both sorrow and strength. A reminder of our loss, and a chance to speak our babies’ names into the world.

“It’s never the loss community that needs reminders of what this month is.” We remember every day. But in October, we honour out loud.

Last year, I joined Carmen as she ran 4K through 16 towns in Lambton County, carrying stories, sharing angel signs, and honouring every baby gone too soon.

This year, we walk again.
Not for the spotlight—but for remembrance.
For awareness.
For every family who deserves comfort.
For every baby whose name deserves to be spoken.

✨ If there’s a name, symbol, or date that reminds you of your baby—please share it.
We’ll carry it with us.
We’ll honour it.
We’ll make sure it’s seen.

Please join us if you're able:
📍Oct 1 - Watford (Watford Arena; 61 Centennial Ave, Watford, ON)
📍Oct 14 - Wyoming (Wyoming United Church; 730 Second St, Wyoming, ON)
📍Oct 17 - Petrolia (Petrolia YMCA; 360 Tank St, Petrolia, ON)
📍Oct 21 - Forest (North Lambton Secondary School; 15 George St, Forest, ON)
📍Oct 23 - Sarnia (Canatara Park; 1200 Lake Chipican Dr, Sarnia, ON)
📍Oct 30 - Warwick (Warwick Conservation Area (by the entrance); 6101 Warwick Village Rd, Watford, ON)

💛🕊️👣

09/09/2025

💜 Save the Date 💜

We have two upcoming events in the month of October in honour of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month.

1️⃣ A Quiet Evening of Remembrance: Finding Meaning After Loss

🗓️ Wednesday, October 8, 2025
⏳ 6-7pm
📍Forest Library, 61 King St W, Forest, ON

Pregnancy and infant loss can feel isolating, but you don’t have to carry it alone. This evening is a gentle invitation to gather in a safe, compassionate space—where parents can come together, speak their babies’ names, and honour the love that remains. Through shared stories, quiet reflection, and the comfort of community, we will hold space for both sorrow and tenderness.

Lo-Anne Chan, founder of , will guide a conversation on Creating Meaning in the Absence of Memories—gentle practices that help us weave our children’s presence into our lives, even in their absence.

A Registered Social Worker from will also be present to provide support and care throughout the evening.

This gathering is not about leaving grief behind—it is about moving forward together, carrying our babies’ memory with love, connection, and understanding.

2️⃣ Wave of Light ceremony

🗓️ Wednesday, October 15, 2025
⏳ 7-8pm
📍 TBD (likely Sarnia)

Join us on October 15 for a memorial ceremony beginning at 6:45 pm, followed by the International Wave of Light at 7:00 pm. Candles will be lit during the ceremony tohonour the babies we have lost through miscarriage, stillbirth, medical termination, and infant death.

October 15 is a day for anyone who is affected by any kind of child loss to come together and acknowledge all those babies – to say their names and tell their stories if
they wish. We don’t have to grieve in silence or in darkness. Whether you are a parent, a grandparent, a sibling, or even just a friend, you are all welcome to join together to
bring a little bit of light into an otherwise very dark world.

Once a year, people worldwide gather together to bring comfort to one another, share their experiences and provide support. Families around the world participate in every time zone at 7:00 pm local time, creating a continuous Wave of Light across the globe for 24 hours.

08/22/2025

📢Announcement from !

After meaningful, ongoing discussion, we are welcoming members of the Association of Ontario Doulas (AOD) to the growing list of service providers who can access education and order resources from PAIL Network. The essential work Doulas can do to support and advocate for families through some of life's most profound transitions have lasting impacts.

Doulas who are members with the AOD are eligible to register to attend our upcoming Connected in Care Conference, and starting in September, members will also be able to register for our no-cost Compassionate Care Workshops.

Together, we can build even stronger, more connected systems of care for grieving families. Welcome, doulas. We look forward to connecting!

Like and share this with a Doula in your community who might be a member.

Sontariodoulas

08/08/2025

✨ Transformation happens when we are Connected

Join us for PAIL Network's 2nd biennial Connected in Care Conference this September 24-26, 2025. This event offers three jam-packed days dedicated to collaboration, compassion, and improving care for people and families experiencing pregnancy and infant loss.

🗓️Mark your calendar.

📝Register today and be part of the change. Let's build a stronger, more supportive system--together.

https://pailnetwork.sunnybrook.ca/conference/

👩🏻‍⚕️I highly encourage service providers who deal directly with prenatal and postpartum clients to attend.

In the unfortunate circumstance that you must provide support to families that have experienced the loss of a pregnancy or baby, having a network to rely on will help you feel better prepared to support them.

🧑🏼‍❤️‍🧑🏾As family or friends of people who have experienced the loss of a pregnancy or baby, you can attend 's Connected in Care conference to help build the network of support in your community.

🫂Bereaved parents, this is your chance to connect directly with service providers so they can experience the humanness of each loss, instead of seeing your baby as a statistic.

08/01/2025

presents a meaningful, two day "Living With Your Loss: A Guided Curriculum to Living a Meaningful Life After Loss".

This workshop will offer families a place to network with others and discover ways to integrate their grief after pregnancy and infant loss. The facilitators have a lived experience of loss themselves, and will guide discussion and conversation that provides a space for sharing and reflection. The workshop is hosted on the Zoom platform.

This group is open for anyone who has received support for their pregnancy or infant loss grief, and are now feeling ready to learn how to incorporate the loss of their baby into their life.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 13TH & SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 20TH

9:00AM-12:00PM

We have heard from families this group is most helpful for those who are at least 6 months out from their loss. If you are not at least 6 months out from your loss, but wish to join the group, please contact pailsupport@sunnybrook.ca to discuss further.

**Please note: This is a two-day session (two Saturdays in a row) instead of the typical 6 night sessions.

Please email pailsupport@sunnybrook.ca to register

07/25/2025

Today, July 24th is International Self-Care Day. 

It's a day to focus on practices that promote your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.To raise awareness about the importance of your own self care.

Take a moment and do what works for you💜

06/26/2025

Together, as we celebrate love, diversity, and inclusivity, we also acknowledge and honour loss with Pride.

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

06/20/2025

05/08/2025

A Walk to Remember will be held Sunday June 1st, 2025 from 10 am – 12:30 pm at Canatara Park in Sarnia. Families will gather between 10 am – 10:30 am at the Children’s Playground Pavilion from which the walk will begin and end. The 3-5 km walk will start at 10:30 am and will take approximately one hour. Following the walk, the community is welcome to stay for an informal gathering to honour our babies together.

On the day of the event, registrants will meet a PAIL Network Volunteer on site to pick up their commemorative Walk to Remember flag (one per household) and stickers for everyone to personalize or write the names of the babies you are walking in honour of.

Registration opens May 1.
Please have only one person from your family/group register*

https://sunnybrook.formstack.com/forms/walktoremember2025

05/04/2025

Today is International Bereaved Mother's Day, it is celebrated on the first Sunday in May, and is a day to honour mothers who have lost a child or pregnancy, as well as those who are unable to conceive. It's a time to acknowledge the unique grief and challenges experienced by these mothers, especially as Mother's Day can be a particularly difficult time for them. 

Today, (and every day) we think of you and hold you in our hearts. 💜💜

04/30/2025

Thank you to for hosting this memorial dedication service.

It was emotional hearing and seeing Araminta's name read aloud and on the screen for everyone to see.

💜🤍

When you donate to in your baby's memory, your baby's name will be added to the next memorial ceremony.

www.justgiving.com/thevaleriafund