Bereaved mum honours daughter’s memory during Baby Loss Awareness Week | News

A bereaved mother from Dewsbury is honouring the memory of her daughter by supporting other families affected by pregnancy and baby loss and donating resources to Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust.

As part of Baby Loss Awareness Week, Aaminah Hussain from Dewsbury has donated Qur'an Cubes to Pinderfields Hospital's bereavement room, helping to provide comfort and spiritual support for Muslim families following the loss of a baby.

Aaminah and her husband Ali's daughter, Abiha, was stillborn at 33 weeks and four days in June. In the months since the loss of their daughter, Aaminah has dedicated herself to supporting other bereaved parents and creating a lasting legacy in Abiha's memory.

The Qur'an Cubes - devices which play recitations from the Qur'an - are available for families who wish to use it while spending time in the bereavement room. Aaminah has also created personalised keepsakes, including keyrings and remembrance plaques, which will be offered to families who have experienced the loss of a baby.

Aaminah said: "Losing Abiha changed my life forever, but I wanted to do something positive in her memory and support other families going through a similar experience.

"Listening to the Qur'an brought comfort to me and my family during difficult times, and I hope this donation will provide comfort to other Muslim families when they need it most.

"Within some Muslim and Asian communities, miscarriage and baby loss can still be very difficult subjects to talk about, and it can be hard for families to find support that feels both culturally sensitive and aligned to their faith.

"I wanted to help create something through Abiha's memory that enables bereaved Muslim parents to feel seen, understood and supported in their faith alongside the emotional support available to them.

"I'm really grateful for the opportunity to share a little of Abiha's story and the things I've been doing in her memory. Being able to use her memory to support other families affected by baby loss means so much to me, and I hope it helps other parents know they are not alone."

Alongside her donation, Aaminah has created memorial Instagram and TikTok accounts, @withlove.abiha, in honour of Abiha and has connected with other bereaved mothers across the region, helping to build valuable peer support networks for families.

She has also raised funds for a charitable water project in Abiha's memory, with any additional funds being donated to baby loss charities. In addition, she is volunteering with organisations including 4Louis, helping to prepare memory boxes and keepsakes for families following the loss of a baby.

Sharon Jones-Stanley, Bereavement Midwife at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust, said: "We are incredibly grateful to Aaminah for her generosity and courage in sharing her story.

"The death of a baby is one of the most devastating experiences a family can face, and no one should feel they have to navigate that journey alone. The support Aaminah is providing to other bereaved parents, alongside her donation to our bereavement services, is a wonderful tribute to Abiha and will make a real difference to families in our care."

To coincide with Baby Loss Awareness Week, and to raise funds for MY Hospitals Charity's Child and Baby Bereavement Fund while signposting bereaved families to support, a range of events will take place across Pinderfields, Pontefract and Dewsbury hospitals between Friday 9 and Thursday 15 October.

On Friday 9 October, Pinderfields Hospital will host a bake sale in the main atrium, with bereavement midwives available to speak with patients, visitors and colleagues seeking advice, information or support.

Throughout the week, hospital chapels will be open for visitors and staff who would like to spend some quiet time in reflection and light an LED candle in memory of a precious baby or babies who have died.

Information stalls will also be present across Trust hospitals to raise awareness of the impact of pregnancy and baby loss, the importance of ongoing bereavement support, and the work taking place to improve pregnancy outcomes and save babies' lives.

Kerry Reede Field, Director of Midwifery, Children's Nursing and Women's Health at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust, said: "Baby Loss Awareness Week is an important opportunity for us to come together in remembrance, to break the silence that so often surrounds pregnancy and baby loss, and to show families that they are not alone.

“We are very grateful for this donation, which will help us further enhance the support and environment we provide for families experiencing the loss of a baby during an extremely difficult time."

Baby Loss Awareness Week culminates with the national Wave of Light on Thursday 15 October, when people across the world light a candle at 7pm local time in memory of babies who have died too soon.

To support the Trust's Child and Baby Bereavement Fund, visit bit.ly/MYBLAW25 or text BLAW to 70450 to donate £5. Texts will cost the donation amount plus one standard network rate message and supporters will be opting in to hear more from the charity. To donate without receiving further communications, text BLAWNOINFO instead.

For more information about Baby Loss Awareness Week, visit www.babyloss-awareness.org.