For families who’ve experienced the heartbreaking loss of a child due to miscarriage, stillbirth, or newborn death, the grief can feel isolating and never-ending. That’s why Bethesda Place and Bethesda Regional Health Centre are once again offering a quiet space for healing, the annual Service of Remembrance, happening Wednesday, May 28 at 2:00 pm at Birchwood Funeral Chapel in Steinbach.
The 30-minute service is designed for parents and loved ones to pause, reflect, and grieve, no matter how fresh or distant their loss may be.
“Grief isn’t just a one-and-done thing. It takes time, and for many, it can be a lifetime,” says Gary Dyck, Interim Chaplain at Bethesda. “This service is just a good opportunity to let a little more grief out, to process things in a safe space.”
A Service of Gentle Support
Though brief, the service is intentionally curated with care.
“It includes sensitive prayer, scripture, poetry, and a reflection by someone who has walked this painful path,” Dyck explains. “It’s a trauma-informed time. Whether the grief is raw or years old, those feelings stay.”
This year’s service takes place between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, a deliberate choice, notes the Chaplain.
“We picked this date to acknowledge the importance of both parents in the grieving process. And this year, we're especially reaching out to dads, fathers, you know, who can sometimes get overlooked in this kind of grief.”
The guest speaker this year is a father who has experienced both newborn and later-in-life child loss, offering a perspective that many dads will deeply relate to.
A Quiet Impact
Though attendance at the in-person service can vary, its online reach has been significant.
“Last year, no one showed up in person, but within the first day, 1,443 people from 8 countries had watched the live stream,” Dyck shares. “That number probably represents thousands of individuals, when you think of couples or families watching together.”
This speaks volumes to Dyck. “It shows there’s a real need for this, even if people don’t feel ready or able to attend in person. It’s a private kind of grief, but still so important to acknowledge.”
An Invitation to All
Dyck offers heartfelt words to anyone carrying the pain of child loss:
“Loss at any stage is traumatic, especially when it’s sudden, as it often is with pregnancy or newborn loss. Many people only get a brief moment to grieve at the time, but it’s so important to come back to it when you’re ready. This service gives anyone permission to do that.”
He also extends an invitation: “Whether your loss was recent or many years ago, this is a space for you. And for supporters, this is a way to stand with those you love, to acknowledge their child, and remind them they’re not alone.”
The service will be held at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, May 28, at Birchwood Funeral Chapel in Steinbach. It will also be live-streamed on both Birchwood Funeral Chapel and the Crossings Funeral Care websites, with the recording available afterward for those who wish to watch later.
“There’s no shame in grieving. There’s no expiry date on love or loss,” says Dyck. “Let’s make space to remember, and to heal, together.”