Portiuncula University Hospital Remembrance Ceremony

Portiuncula University Hospital holds a Ceremony of Remembrance on the first Monday in February for parents and their families who have experienced bereavement through the death of a child or who have lost a baby through miscarriage, still birth or neonatal death.

Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions it was not possible for parents and families to attend the hospital for the Remembrance Ceremony this year.  However, staff from the maternity department this year held a small ceremony to remember with love and celebrate the short and precious lives of all children and infants who have died and pregnancy loss.

Deirdre Naughton, Director of Midwifery stated, “During the COVID-19 pandemic there is no doubt that the experience of grief has been compounded by social restrictions. For families this is very difficult. Pregnancy loss can be a very lonely grief. This year perhaps more than ever our ceremony of remembrance remained an important date in our calendar and we wanted to come together to reflect, honour and remember all the pregnancies that were lost and the babies who have died through miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal death.”