Love Lives On

By: Allyson England Drake, Full Circle Founder and Executive Director My mother, Joan Carter England, died April 29, 2018 from pancreatic cancer. She was sick for 13 months and fought harder than I ever thought possible to have as many days on this earth as she could. I mourned her before she died because watching…

By Carrie Schaeffer, LCSW, Perinatal Bereavement Services Manager Mother’s Day is quickly approaching as we settle into spring. The day is celebrated with flowers and picnics, homemade crafts and time spent together as a family. It is a day to honor and reflect on the sacred bond formed between a mother or mother-figure and her children.  For some,…

We’re excited and honored to introduce you to this year’s Live Your Dash Award recipients. These individuals are using their time, skills and energy to make a positive, meaningful, and lasting impact in our community and are truly living their dash. Shannon Armes Community Advocate and Founder of Skylar’s Love Mission In October 2016, Shannon…

By: Carrie Schaeffer, LCSW Termination or interruption of a pregnancy for medical reasons (TFMR) occurs when the baby has been given a life-limiting diagnosis in utero or when the health of the mother is at risk during the pregnancy. Often, parents are faced with this heartbreaking scenario well into their pregnancy, when genetic tests or in-depth…

By Britt Cowart, LCSW, Grief Services Director Grief journaling is one way of allowing ourselves the space for genuine healing to take place, whether we’re ready and willing to express ourselves to others or not.  Due to the copious amount of research suggesting that grief journaling after a significant loss has therapeutic value, journaling is a…

By: Keith D. Lewis, Full Circle Suicide Loss Group Participant Not a day goes by that I don’t think about Daniel or see him in my mannerisms or hear him in my words. So much so that I wonder if I thought about him this much when he was living. Holidays are different now because…

By: Carrie Schaeffer, LCSW, Perinatal Bereavement Services Manager One of the many things that make pregnancy and infant loss so painful and bewildering is that there are not many memories and mementos left behind as there are when a person who has lived a longer life dies. And yet, bereaved parents’ desire to remember these lives is…

Mother’s Day is a day of celebration for many, but should also be a time of acknowledging those women in your life who have experienced the loss of a child, or those who have had difficulty conceiving. They deserve and desire the recognition and love just like other mothers. Be there for them, listen to…