SUPPORT & INFO FOR PARENTS
Letter to Parents from Kate Cares

Dear Parents,

Our hearts go out to you with the loss of your baby. During this hard time, we would like to offer our help and support.

The Kate Carmichael Stillbirth Program – “Kate Cares” was started by a family who understands what you are going through. The Carmichael’s daughter, Kate, was born still on January 20, 2003. Doctors were not able to find the reason for her death. Through the Carmichaels’ love for their baby, the Program was started to help others experiencing stillbirth, learn about causes of stillbirth and how to prevent it.

We offer our time and expertise to help find the answers you need to cope with the loss of your baby. We can help:

• Learn why your baby was stillborn
• Identify ways to reduce the chance of stillbirth in a possible future pregnancy
• Offer genetic information that may help your family
• Give you information about stillbirth and support incoping with your loss
• Increase caregivers understanding of stillbirth for the sake of other babies

We would like to offer an assessment in order to give you the best chance of learning helpful information. Your baby will be treated with the utmost respect and caring. If you choose assessment you still have the same opportunities to see, touch, hold and memorialize your baby. Deciding about testing can be hard for parents, especially at this moment. Some tests are time sensitive and your doctor or nurse will let you know when tests need to be done. Some decide against testing because they don’t want anything else done to their baby’s body. What the assessment involves is described on the attached page.

A team of experts will search for helpful information and make recommendations. These results may take up to three months. In some cases, the cause of death may not be determined, but helpful information is always learned (the cause of Kate’s death remains a mystery). A report will be sent to your doctor or midwife who can go over it with you. Consultation for you or your doctor is also available from the Program, or you or your doctor are welcome to call us any time.

We offer our sympathy in these difficult times. If we can be of help in any way, do not hesitate to contact us at 317-962-0663

Take care,

The Kate Carmichael Stillbirth Program – “Kate Cares”

Links
www.aplacetoremember.com
www.nationalshareoffice.com
www.compassionatefriends.org