The service is held annually on the first Sunday in December and is open to anyone who has experienced pregnancy loss, stillbirth or the death of a baby shortly after birth.

Advertise with News of The Area today.
It’s worth it for your business.
Message us.
Phone us – (02) 4981 8882.
Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au

For organiser Martie Kuhn, the subject matter is deeply personal, having experienced the loss of her firstborn son Jackson, who was stillborn.

Following this heartbreaking experience, Martie sought solace in a support group at Port Macquarie Base Hospital.

Here she discovered a shared need among grieving parents for a remembrance service.

The Blessing of the Angels Remembrance Service has since provided Martie the annual opportunity to commemorate Jackson’s memory.

“I take comfort in this service,” Martie said.

“It has become a way of honouring Jackson’s memory in a meaningful way that feels right for myself and my family.”

During the service, the names of babies lost are read aloud, with parents, grandparents, or siblings invited to light a candle in honour of their angels.

They can also hang an ornament on the Christmas tree or place a present underneath it, as a tribute to their child.

These gifts are later distributed through the Salvation Army to those in need.

“Jackson would have been 25 this year, so I will be purchasing two presents suitable for a child who is ten and one gift for a child who is five,” said Martie.

“For me, this has become a way to remember my angel, and through him, my family and I are helping others.”

For more information contact Martie on 0413 596 903 or martie26k@ gmail.com.

By Kim AMBROSE