BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN) – Candles will be lit for a national day of remembrance being held not only across the nation on Sunday, but also right here in the Valley.
Sunday, Oct. 15 is observed nationwide as “Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day” to remember babies who did not survive their first year.
Officials say Mahoning County has one of the worst rates for infant mortality in the state, especially among its African-American community.
Kate Jack of Boardman delivered a stillborn daughter two years ago. On Thursday, she told Mahoning County commissioners that it’s a problem few are willing to talk about.
“Because this has always been a taboo subject, many women feel they cannot share their experiences and their story,” said Jack. “I’m here to say that needs to change. It’s hard. It’s not easy, but in sharing their story, it validates that their child was real, not just a memory to be tucked away.”
Jack said organizers of Sunday’s remembrance hope that residents will light candles at 7 p.m. to show support for parents who lost babies at birth or in their first year.
