In memory of Freeda Love Mayflower Hill

When the CANZ Giving page was announced, I straight away knew of the organisation that I would choose to post about, furthering support and acknowledgment of young lives gone too soon, Red Nose Australia. I think it would be fair to say, that when it comes to supporting a charity, unfortunately, in most cases, the charity chooses us.

Every year on the 25th March, we come together to say the names of the treasured babies and children we have loved and lost – to honour their memory while highlighting the profound impact of each of these deaths.

After sharing intimate experiences with other loss parents and from my own experience I am saying my little girl’s name, Freeda Love Mayflower, to ensure people know that the level of support (immediate and ongoing) and the language they use has such a significant impact on bereaved parents’ recovery journey and ongoing trauma. It’s imperative that family, friends, and colleagues know that reaching out, talking about our lost young ones, just showing up, and supporting bereaved parents means more than you could ever know, and not just in the beginning. 

When a baby or child dies, life as we know it stops – for parents, families, and their wider communities. This pain cannot be fixed, only carried. What makes this pain lighter to bear is often the simple acknowledgement of this reality from those who matter. Saying a baby or child’s name alongside those who loved him or her is a powerful act of kindness and acknowledgement that requires no special knowledge or experience. Say Their Name Day is a day for the whole community to demonstrate that every little life matters and deserves to be celebrated, and that bereaved families are deserving of all the support we can give. Name by name, Red Nose and SNADS are helping to break the stigma that prevents families from seeking support to help in their healing, in finding hope for the future, and in coping with their new “normal”. Say Their Name Day also helps us raise much-needed funds to ensure that every grieving family has access to the support they need for as long as they need it.

Gordon Hill

Service Delivery Manager (Branch Leader)