Mason City holds memorial service for pregnancy and infant loss

(ABC 6 News) – October 15th is national pregnancy and infant loss remembrance day. According to the CDC for every 1,000 live births there are roughly 5 neonatal deaths in the United States. Though that number might seem small, the loss of a pregnancy or infant is painful to many.

For the past 16 years MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center and Fullerton Funeral Home in Mason City have partnered every year on October 15th to hold a memorial service fore families who have experience pregnancy or infant loss.

Saturday’s memorial service started at Fullerton Funeral Home. Funeral home owner James Fullerton says that this service provides families the opportunity they might not have ever had to remember their child because most of these families don’t have a service for a child this young.

“Some year after year after year come here because this is a time that they can celebrate the life of their child. We’ve had older people who didn’t know we could open up for them to come and they lost babies years ago. And they have the opportunity now to celebrate the life of their child,” said Fullerton.

The second part of the service is held at Elmwood Cemetery where many infants have been laid to rest. Fullerton Funeral Home works directly with MercyOne to make sure these infants have a proper burial.

“Every family is tracked to we know exactly who is who. And we do the cremation and transport the remains down to Elmwood usually at the beginning of the month because they would like to have them berried prior to today so they can go to the grave,” said Fullerton.

At the cemetery the chaplain lead everyone in prayer as well as one father who lost his child shared his experience and gave words of comfort to everyone.

If you or anyone you know is grieving the loss of an infant and is in need of support click here.