White balloons released in Regina for stillborn children

The sky over Regina was dotted with white balloons on Sunday, in memory of children and babies who died too young.

More than 100 people gathered at the Wascana Rehabilitation Centre in Regina to mourn the loss of stillborn children or those who died in early childhood.

Patti LeBlanc, the organizer of theannualperinatalmemorial, saidthe event recognizes that even though those children and babies weren't on earth very long, they had an important life.

"It's a great way of giving those parents some comfort in their time and recognize that their child was very, very important to all in this world," LeBlanc said.

Celebration of life

Amanda Leonard-Mack, a mother of two children, was at the event mourning her stillborn childBenjamin George Mack would be four today.

Leonard-Mack said she was 36 and a half weeks pregnant when she discovered her baby no longer had a heartbeat at a regular doctor's appointment.

"You're grieving the loss of what could have been," Leonard-Mack said.

Now, Leonard-Mack comes back to the event every year as a way to remember her child.

"This gives us another chance throughout the year to actually remember him and celebrate the brief time we had with him," she said.

"It's such a blessing to see other people that are going through the same thing as us."

Participants shared their stories and sang in memory of the lost children. After the ceremony, a white balloon was released into the air for every child.

LeBlanc said the balloon represents support for the child and keeps that connection close.

"It's a child that you had wishes and hopes and dreams for, that suddenly is no longer in your world," she said.

LeBlanc, who had a stillborn child at term herself, said the experience can be crushing. The memorial event is also about building a support network.

"You want to just curl up in your bed and never wake up again," LeBlanc said. "Having that support and seeing other people who've gone the journey maybe 5-10 years beyond you gives you hope."