Letter: Remembrance Service at Christmas for those who have lost children

Having been a chaplain at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for over 15 years, I came to realise that for some people Christmas is not the happy celebration that others enjoy.

It first came to my attention when the King George V building was no longer going to be the Mothers and Babies Unit it had been for many decades.

We received a call from a mother in the country, asking what we were going to do about all the babies that had died in that unit.Working with the Social Work department, the chaplains arranged a Service of Remembrance for a Saturday afternoon.

People came from all over the State. it was very moving. I remember clearly a mother who had had a stillbirth over 40 years ago, who was so thankful that at last her loss was recognised and her baby remembered and honoured.

I came to realise then that Christmas can be hard for some, especially for those families who have and empty place at the table. Since then we have held a Remembrance Service for those who have lost children, either through miscarriage, stillbirth or indeed accident or illness, or who have children missing.

All are welcome to our Service of Remembrance on Tuesday December 5 at 7,30 pm at 402 Caringbah Road South (St Phil's Anglican Church). Supper will be served.

Jan Corbett-Jones, Lilli Pilli