HELENA — October marks Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. On Wednesday, the community gathered to remind families who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant loss that they are not alone and that their little ones are remembered through a wave of light.
“I think this is a unique opportunity for our community to come together around people who maybe do not always get seen,” Maureen Bjerke, the Zero to Five community coordinator, says.
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Bjerke wanted to bring Wave of Light to her community to help people through experiences like hers.
“Nineteen years ago, I lost my own baby boy and spent a lot of time carrying around grief and shame and guilt, and now just feeling like I want to help other people feel less alone,” Bjerke says.
Wave of Light is a global event that is now in its second year in Helena. Bjerke recalls, “Last year I remember seeing a lot of pain but also a lot of love, and it is just really powerful to know that you are not alone.”
Around the world, people light a candle at 7:00 pm local time and keep it lit for at least one hour to honor babies who have died during pregnancy or infancy.
This creates a continuous wave of light that spans across time zones, symbolizing love and remembrance
“Candles symbolize a little light in a really dark time,” Bjerke says.
The Early Childhood Collaborative of the Greater Helena Area holds grief events year-round, and you can visit this link for grief resources.
