Hello, my name is Robin Slater and I currently live in the Vermont area. I lost my daughter, Rosanna, due to preterm labor, at 23 1/2 weeks. She was born November 27, 2005 and due to a Stage IV brain bleed, we had to let her go, and she passed peacefully in my arms on December 2, 2005. We also had a son...born an angel May 23, 2006. My water broke and he passed before he was born at 16 1/2 weeks.
I write you because after my losses, and being somewhat a creative person, I did every and anything you can think of to memorialize my children...and still do today, and will continue to do so, to make them part of my life, my family's life, and the life of any future children we may have.
Following my losses I found many people I came into contact with had some ideas of things to do, but many also did not know of things they could do. People, like myself, had no idea how to plan a funeral, or a memorial service...or small things to do for themselves. I have joined forces with a friend of mine in Maryland, Angela Kreiser, who has written for Parenting Magazine. Together we plan to put together the best child memorialization guide that anyone can offer someone who has experienced a loss. We plan to have everything in this book from funeral and memorial service plans, preparations, writings, songs, etc....to scrapbooking, balloon releases, writing, gatherings, music, jewelry, crafts of all sorts, book references, websites, artists, photographers, and the list goes on. We also plan to have opinions of medical professionals in certain areas of the book, as well as a plethora of resources and references to organizations, merchants and more.
Angela and I have decided that one thing we both very much want to be a large part of our book is the true stories of families who have suffered the loss of a child. At this time we would like to invite each of you to participate in helping us create this wonderful book to help not only families who have already suffered a loss, such as yourselves, but to also help those who will have a loss in the future. It is our desire to help those by giving them the information we did not have ourselves at that desperate time in life when knowing we were not alone, and to have guidance as to what we could do would have been so much appreciated.
For those of you who believe this is something you would like to help with, while at the same time, having the opportunity to share the story of your child with us, and possibly to the world, we would like you to read the following requirements for submitting us your story, and photo if you so desire, to be reviewed for possible use in our book (Please be sure to follow the directions in order for your submissions...and please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have):
1. Email their story to RobinLSlater@gmail.com, being sure to put the following in the subject line of the email: "(YOUR NAME)'s Loss/Memorialization Story" ( i.e. for me it would read "Robin Slater's Loss/Memorialization Story"). If they wish to mail their submission, it can be forwarded to: Robin L. Slater, 200 Main Street, Essex Junction, VT 05452 (any submissions which are mailed by regular mail should be hand signed at the end. Additionally, they can include no more than ONE photo of their child, themselves, the family, and/or ONE ADDITIONAL photo the memento or event they are describing in their story, etc. (Enclosing a photo(s) does not guarantee that their story will be used, or that the photo will be used if their story is chosen for any part of the book.)
2. In the first paragraph of the email/letter we will need the name, age, and location of the person submitting the piece, and whether their real name is permitted to be used, or a pseudo name (if a pseudo name is desired, that name may be chosen by the individual submitting the piece, and needs to be included in this first paragraph). Additionally, we will need to know if it's ok to use any or all names which are mentioned in the submission (if not, pseudo names chosen should also be included here...if none are given, names will be chosen for you).
3. The second paragraph of the email, please copy and paste the following: "I, ________________, hereby give Robin Slater and Angela Kreiser the right to use any or all of the following electronically written/transmitted (or just "written" if the submission is being mailed in regular U.S. Postal mail) statement(s), and or photographs attached hereto, strictly for the purposes of creating a book with regard to the memorialization of children for bereaved parents who have experienced a pregnancy or infant loss."
4. The third paragraph should be the beginning of the story of loss and/or memorialization. We do not mind if it's long...however, remember that we'll only be using bits and pieces of most chosen stories (depending on the length and context, most likely stories in their entirety will not be used as written). WE ESPECIALLY WANT TO KNOW OF ANY THINGS DONE AFTER THE LOSS TO MEMORIALIZE OR HONOR THE CHILD(REN), and perhaps things that are continue to do to this day (whether alone, or to involve family, etc.)...this can be something as small as lighting a candle or saying a prayer, a type of service held, special music, an event held each year, poetry or letters written, a scrapbook that was made, etc. (we would like it as detailed as possible).
5. Following the loss/memorialization story, we would ask for the individual's personal opinion on benefits of memorialization after a loss, if they feel there is some benefit (if they do not feel there is some benefit, we would also like to know that and why they feel that way).
6. Please end the email/letter with any other comments or information you wish for us to be advised of, closing the submission with your full name, address, telephone number and email address (and any other contact information you feel we should have in the event we choose your piece).
Additionally, if we are given permission to use your child's real name (can even use Baby "and last name"), regardless of whether your story is chosen to be used in the book, we will list your child's name in the "In Memory Of" section of the book. If you submit a story and would not like your child's real name used, but would like your child's real name listed in the "In Memory Of" section of the book, please advise of us of this as well.
Anyone's story who we decide to use any portion of will be contacted and advised of the fact. You must also realize that at some point in time you may be contacted for additional information on your submission. All individuals submitting a piece should please keep in mind, this is a work in progress and it will take some time to compile information, review, research, complete and have published! It is a great work in progress and all submissions are greatly appreciated for helping this project move toward the greater good in assisting families who have experienced a loss, and for those who will in the future.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my long email. I apologize for the length of the email, but I wanted to be sure that I included all information so that you would all be well informed on this project and that there would be minimal questions. I do, however, welcome any and all questions you may have.
Love to all of you,
Robin L. Slater
Mommy to...
Rosanna Jeanette (www.babysfirstsite.com/schroederbaby)
Karl Doherty (www.babysfirstsite.com/babyschroeder)
I write you because after my losses, and being somewhat a creative person, I did every and anything you can think of to memorialize my children...and still do today, and will continue to do so, to make them part of my life, my family's life, and the life of any future children we may have.
Following my losses I found many people I came into contact with had some ideas of things to do, but many also did not know of things they could do. People, like myself, had no idea how to plan a funeral, or a memorial service...or small things to do for themselves. I have joined forces with a friend of mine in Maryland, Angela Kreiser, who has written for Parenting Magazine. Together we plan to put together the best child memorialization guide that anyone can offer someone who has experienced a loss. We plan to have everything in this book from funeral and memorial service plans, preparations, writings, songs, etc....to scrapbooking, balloon releases, writing, gatherings, music, jewelry, crafts of all sorts, book references, websites, artists, photographers, and the list goes on. We also plan to have opinions of medical professionals in certain areas of the book, as well as a plethora of resources and references to organizations, merchants and more.
Angela and I have decided that one thing we both very much want to be a large part of our book is the true stories of families who have suffered the loss of a child. At this time we would like to invite each of you to participate in helping us create this wonderful book to help not only families who have already suffered a loss, such as yourselves, but to also help those who will have a loss in the future. It is our desire to help those by giving them the information we did not have ourselves at that desperate time in life when knowing we were not alone, and to have guidance as to what we could do would have been so much appreciated.
For those of you who believe this is something you would like to help with, while at the same time, having the opportunity to share the story of your child with us, and possibly to the world, we would like you to read the following requirements for submitting us your story, and photo if you so desire, to be reviewed for possible use in our book (Please be sure to follow the directions in order for your submissions...and please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have):
1. Email their story to RobinLSlater@gmail.com, being sure to put the following in the subject line of the email: "(YOUR NAME)'s Loss/Memorialization Story" ( i.e. for me it would read "Robin Slater's Loss/Memorialization Story"). If they wish to mail their submission, it can be forwarded to: Robin L. Slater, 200 Main Street, Essex Junction, VT 05452 (any submissions which are mailed by regular mail should be hand signed at the end. Additionally, they can include no more than ONE photo of their child, themselves, the family, and/or ONE ADDITIONAL photo the memento or event they are describing in their story, etc. (Enclosing a photo(s) does not guarantee that their story will be used, or that the photo will be used if their story is chosen for any part of the book.)
2. In the first paragraph of the email/letter we will need the name, age, and location of the person submitting the piece, and whether their real name is permitted to be used, or a pseudo name (if a pseudo name is desired, that name may be chosen by the individual submitting the piece, and needs to be included in this first paragraph). Additionally, we will need to know if it's ok to use any or all names which are mentioned in the submission (if not, pseudo names chosen should also be included here...if none are given, names will be chosen for you).
3. The second paragraph of the email, please copy and paste the following: "I, ________________, hereby give Robin Slater and Angela Kreiser the right to use any or all of the following electronically written/transmitted (or just "written" if the submission is being mailed in regular U.S. Postal mail) statement(s), and or photographs attached hereto, strictly for the purposes of creating a book with regard to the memorialization of children for bereaved parents who have experienced a pregnancy or infant loss."
4. The third paragraph should be the beginning of the story of loss and/or memorialization. We do not mind if it's long...however, remember that we'll only be using bits and pieces of most chosen stories (depending on the length and context, most likely stories in their entirety will not be used as written). WE ESPECIALLY WANT TO KNOW OF ANY THINGS DONE AFTER THE LOSS TO MEMORIALIZE OR HONOR THE CHILD(REN), and perhaps things that are continue to do to this day (whether alone, or to involve family, etc.)...this can be something as small as lighting a candle or saying a prayer, a type of service held, special music, an event held each year, poetry or letters written, a scrapbook that was made, etc. (we would like it as detailed as possible).
5. Following the loss/memorialization story, we would ask for the individual's personal opinion on benefits of memorialization after a loss, if they feel there is some benefit (if they do not feel there is some benefit, we would also like to know that and why they feel that way).
6. Please end the email/letter with any other comments or information you wish for us to be advised of, closing the submission with your full name, address, telephone number and email address (and any other contact information you feel we should have in the event we choose your piece).
Additionally, if we are given permission to use your child's real name (can even use Baby "and last name"), regardless of whether your story is chosen to be used in the book, we will list your child's name in the "In Memory Of" section of the book. If you submit a story and would not like your child's real name used, but would like your child's real name listed in the "In Memory Of" section of the book, please advise of us of this as well.
Anyone's story who we decide to use any portion of will be contacted and advised of the fact. You must also realize that at some point in time you may be contacted for additional information on your submission. All individuals submitting a piece should please keep in mind, this is a work in progress and it will take some time to compile information, review, research, complete and have published! It is a great work in progress and all submissions are greatly appreciated for helping this project move toward the greater good in assisting families who have experienced a loss, and for those who will in the future.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my long email. I apologize for the length of the email, but I wanted to be sure that I included all information so that you would all be well informed on this project and that there would be minimal questions. I do, however, welcome any and all questions you may have.
Love to all of you,
Robin L. Slater
Mommy to...
Rosanna Jeanette (www.babysfirstsite.com/schroederbaby)
Karl Doherty (www.babysfirstsite.com/babyschroeder)
