Aberystwyth service marks Baby Loss Awareness Week
A service at Canolfan Rheidol on 15 Oct leads into the global Wave of Light, highlighting Hywel Dda’s support for bereaved families.
Aberystwyth will host a solemn service on Thursday 15 October as part of Baby Loss Awareness Week, a national campaign running from 9‑15 October to support families who have suffered pregnancy or infant loss.
The event, organised by Hywel Dda University Health Board, will begin at 6.30 pm in the Atrium (foyer) of Ceredigion County Council’s Canolfan Rheidol building, before leading into the international Wave of Light at 7 pm.
Baby Loss Awareness Week aims to raise public understanding of stillbirth, miscarriage and infant death, while offering a space for bereaved parents, relatives and friends to remember the babies they have lost.
Across the Hywel Dda health region, blue and pink lights will bathe the Chapel and Quiet Rooms of Bronglais, Glangwili, Prince Philip and Withybush hospitals, creating a visual tribute to the lives of the departed.
Public buildings throughout the region will also be illuminated, extending the message of remembrance beyond the walls of the health service.
Hywel Dda’s Spiritual Care Team, together with maternity and gynaecology services, has coordinated a series of remembrance gatherings over the week, providing compassionate environments for reflection.
Families are invited to attend the Aberystwyth service, which will feature a brief programme of music, readings and a candle‑lighting ceremony.
“Baby Loss Awareness Week provides an important opportunity to remember and celebrate the lives of babies who are deeply loved and never forgotten,” said Euryl Howells, Senior Chaplain at Hywel Dda University Health Board.
The Wave of Light, a coordinated global act of candle‑lighting, will commence at 7 pm, linking the Aberystwyth gathering with thousands of similar vigils worldwide.
Organisers stress that the week is not only about mourning but also about acknowledging the lasting impact of loss on parents, extended families and the health professionals who support them.
Anyone unable to attend in person may forward a message of remembrance to the health board via email, ensuring that personal tributes can be included in the service.
Urgent assistance is available through Glangwili Hospital’s switchboard on 01267 235151, where callers can request the Long Range contact for immediate help.
The week’s activities conclude with the Wave of Light, a powerful visual statement that aims to keep the memory of each baby alive in the hearts of communities across Wales and beyond.
Hywel Dda University Health Board hopes the combined efforts of lighting, ceremony and personal stories will foster a sense of shared compassion and reinforce the message that no family has to grieve alone.