Normal, Urbana hospitals plan ceremonies for families affected by infant loss

Oct. 13—BLOOMINGTON — Bloomington-Normal and Urbana area families are invited to gather in person and virtually on Saturday to honor babies no longer with us.

Families who have suffered loss are invited to Shining Light Infant Memorial ceremonies held the evening of Pregnancy Loss and Remembrance Day.

Bloomington-Normal families will gather at 7 p.m. in the Chapel Garden at Carle BroMenn Medical Center, 1304 Franklin Ave., Normal, for a ceremony to honor the babies lost. The night will include the International Wave of Light, the annual worldwide lighting of candles, followed by an outdoor reception.

Urbana's events will begin at 6 p.m. inside The Forum near Carle Foundation Hospital, 611 W. Park St., Urbana. Child Life Services will have a table for children to make luminaries in honor of their siblings. A memorial ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. with a harpist and the reading of baby names. The ceremony also will be livestreamed through Microsoft Teams. A cookie reception will follow outside and adjacent to the Shining Light Infant Memorial Garden.

Carle Spiritual Care, Healthy Beginnings and Pet Therapy volunteers will be available during the event.

Those interested in viewing the virtual ceremony or having their baby's name read should register online at carle.org/events/2022/10/the-shining-light-memorial-for-pregnancy-and-infan#registration.

Both events are free and open to the public.

For information about the Normal event, contact Keli Sidebottom at keli.sidebottom@carle.com, or for Urbana, contact Rachel Campbell at Rachel.Campbell@carle.com.

Contact Olivia Jacobs at 309-820-3352. Follow Olivia on Twitter: @olivia___jacobs

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