Mothers Who Matter  

All stillbirth mothers matter! It's just that some take their tragedy and turn it into triumph, in spite of overwhelming grief and despair at the loss of their child.

Exercising injured limbs - stretching aching muscles and torn tendons - is a painful part of therapy, without which recovery from a physical injury would be much slower. But what can one do about the emotional injuries experienced by stillbirth mothers? How can they recover?

Inactivity, isolation, and not dealing with everyday challenges, only prolongs the pain of our loss. We need "emotional therapy" and the time to start is now, not tomorrow. Prolonging the onset of therapy, whether for a physical or emotional injury, only delays the recovery and prolongs the pain. Unfortunately there's no "How To" book one can read that offers a program. Instead it is by emulating the recoveries of other stillbirth mothers that we can find our way back.

Mothers who have made remarkable recoveries did so by facing the challenge of life without their babies. They reached out to women like themselves, and helped them tread along the path of pain into the light of a new dawning. To recognize the exceptional courage of these women, The Missing Angel Foundation has created the "Golden Phoenix Award".

The Phoenix bird, a mythical figure that died but was reborn from its own ashes, has been chosen as the symbol for this award. It represents the challenge all stillbirth mothers face who must rebuild their lives following their tragic loss. For most, getting back to where they were is a huge struggle; some never make it and that is a double tragedy. Then there are the few whose recovery goes way beyond their own grief and brings hope and encouragement to others.
One such woman, and the recipient of the first "Golden Phoenix Award, is Candy McVicar, mother of Grace (12-10-2001) who, with the help and full support of husband Stephen, formed The Missing GRACE Foundation. Read about Candy's remarkable journey and similar journeys made by other "Mothers Who Matter".
 

Golden Phoenix Award

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Last Updated 01/11/2006    Design donated by Web-Writer