CHI Health St. Francis holding infant memorial

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (KSNB) - CHI Health St. Francis is remembering children that were lost due to a miscarriage, being stillborn, or death in infancy with a memorial Tuesday night at the hospital’s chapel.

The memorial is to help families remember and celebrate the lives of their children who were lost.

CHI Health St. Francis Chaplain George Creamer said the memorial serves as a way to let the families know that the hospital staff understands what they are going through.

”During the immediate loss, they receive lots of support, calls, they get cards in the mail, they have family and friends who are supportive, but as the days, the weeks and the months go by, the support seems to diminish, so for us, it’s a way to let them know they aren’t forgotten,” Creamer said.

The memorial will be conducted by the pastoral care team at CHI Health St. Francis and will feature a candle lighting ceremony that families will be allowed to participate in.

Chaplain Creamer also said the memorial has a personal connection with him as he also has kids.

”I’m a parent myself, so a lot of times, I put myself in their shoes and think about what it would feel like to lose a child and I have deep grief and sadness just to think about the idea,” Creamer said.

He also said the service also serves as a way to bring members of the community who have suffered infant loss together to support each other.

”We don’t want them to feel like they’re walking alone, so this is an opportunity for us to take a pause and just remind them that they’re not forgotten, that we continue to walk with them and that our prayers and our thoughts continue to be with them,” Creamer said.

The memorial will happen at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at the CHI Health St. Francis chapel.

For those who are not able to attend the service, it will also be broadcasted live on the hospital’s Facebook page, with the intimate moments with the families not shown during the broadcast.

After the service, those gathered are invited to stay for conversation and refreshments.

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