Honouring Baby Loss Awareness Week 2025: Creating Space for Healing and Compassion

There is no timetable for healing, and no right or wrong way to grieve

Today marks the end of Baby Loss Awareness Week, a global initiative dedicated to remembering and honouring babies who are no longer with us, and to supporting the parents and families who carry their memory in their hearts.

This week holds deep personal meaning for me. In 2018, I experienced the heartbreaking loss of my baby, Caleb, at seven months old. It was the kind of loss that completely shifts your world, the kind that makes time stand still and leaves you questioning everything you once believed about life, purpose, and faith.

In those early months, I lost focus. I lost drive. And at times, I lost hope. Productivity, something that once came naturally to me, felt impossible. I was physically present but emotionally distant, moving through the motions of life while carrying the heavy weight of grief.

But healing gave me a second chance. It gave me perspective. It taught me that grief does not erase your strength; it refines it. Over time, I began to see that it is possible to hold both grief and hope at the same time. That realisation changed the course of my life.

Today, as a Grief Specialist and Productivity Coach, I help individuals and organisations navigate grief in healthier, more compassionate ways. Grief is not only an emotional experience; it affects every area of life including work, focus, and purpose. Understanding grief in the workplace is essential for leaders who want to build empathetic, resilient, and human-centred cultures.

The Hidden Cost of Grief at Work

Grief does not end when a bereaved parent returns to work. In fact, for many people, the workplace becomes one of the hardest places to be after a loss. The world moves on quickly, but for those grieving, life often feels like it has stopped.

Research shows that grief significantly affects productivity, engagement, and retention. Employees experiencing loss may struggle with focus, decision-making, or motivation. Without understanding and support, this can lead to burnout, withdrawal, or even resignation.

Empathy is the bridge that changes this. When organisations respond with empathy instead of pressure, they not only help employees heal but also strengthen trust, loyalty, and wellbeing. Creating a grief-aware workplace culture is not a “nice-to-have” but a key component of sustainable productivity and employee engagement.

A Mission of Healing and Hope

Through my work with My Little Warrior Child CIC (MLWC), I have made it my mission to support parents who have experienced the loss of a child. MLWC provides weekend retreats, care packages, and grief recovery resources to help parents process their pain and rediscover hope in a safe and nurturing space.

These retreats bring comfort, community, and healing, reminding parents that while grief changes us, it does not have to define us. Healing is possible, one small step at a time.

For every parent walking through the unimaginable pain of child loss, please know this: your grief is valid. You are not alone. There is no timetable for healing, and there is no right or wrong way to grieve. What matters most is giving yourself permission to feel, to rest, and to rebuild in your own time.

Lighting the Way Forward

As Baby Loss Awareness Week comes to a close, I invite you to join the Wave of Light this evening at 7 p.m. GMT. Light a candle in remembrance of all the babies who are no longer with us and the families who continue to love them.

Your light matters. Their memory lives on.

If you or someone you know needs support, please know that help is available. You can connect with a qualified professional through the Grief Specialist Directory, where you will find compassionate grief specialists who can guide you through your journey and provide practical tools for healing.

Healing after loss is not about forgetting; it is about learning to live again with hope, purpose, and love that endures.

About Detola

Detola Amure is a Productivity Coach, Grief Specialist, Member of the Grief Specialist Directory and Founder of My Little Warrior Child CIC. She helps individuals and organisations navigate grief, rebuild resilience, and rediscover purpose after loss. Through MLWC, she supports bereaved parents through weekend retreats, grief recovery resources, and community initiatives designed to bring healing and hope.

Learn more

Visit mylittlewarriorchild.org to learn more about My Little Warrior Child CIC and upcoming retreats for bereaved parents.