Families come together at Arrowe Park Hospital to remember babies lost too soon
Families, friends and NHS staff came together at Arrowe Park Hospital for a moving evening of remembrance, lighting lanterns in memory of babies who are deeply loved and dearly missed.
The hospital hosted its third annual Light Up a Loss ceremony on Wednesday 14 October, bringing the local community together during Baby Loss Awareness Week 2026.
The event offered a special opportunity for families affected by baby loss, whether recently or many years ago, to remember their precious babies and find comfort in the support of others who have experienced similar loss.
Held at The Retreat Café, the evening saw families come together to create a display of personalised memorial lanterns, each representing a baby whose memory continues to be cherished.
Families decorated their lanterns with names, photographs and heartfelt messages, before placing them together in a glowing display of love, hope and remembrance.
The ceremony also featured moving readings and poetry from members of the hospital's maternity and bereavement teams, alongside musical performances from the Sing Me Merseyside Choir, who have supported the event for three consecutive years.
Internationally acclaimed vocalist Duncan Heather also lent his voice to the evening, accompanying a virtual memorial display featuring the names of babies being remembered.
Dr Nikki Stevenson, Chief Medical Officer at Wirral University Teaching Hospital, attended the ceremony.
She said: "It was incredibly moving to see so many families come together to remember their precious babies. Every lantern represented a baby who is deeply loved and whose memory will always be treasured.
"Baby loss affects families in so many different ways, and the grief experienced by parents and loved ones does not simply disappear with time. Evenings like this provide an important opportunity to acknowledge that loss, remember those precious lives and remind families that they are not alone.
"I am immensely proud of our maternity and bereavement teams for the compassion and dedication they show to families, not only during their time in our care, but in the months and years that follow."
The annual ceremony is organised with the support of the hospital's maternity and bereavement teams, who work closely with families experiencing the heartbreak of pregnancy and baby loss.
Hannah Blake, Bereavement Midwife at Wirral University Teaching Hospital, said: "For families who have experienced the loss of a baby, having the opportunity to say their name, share their memories and know that their baby has not been forgotten can mean so much.
"Light Up a Loss is about creating a safe and supportive space where families can come together, remember their babies and feel surrounded by people who understand the significance of their loss.
"Seeing the lanterns illuminated together is always an incredibly emotional moment. Each one tells a story of love, and it is a privilege for our team to share this special evening with the families we support.
"We are so grateful to everyone who joined us, and to the performers and colleagues who helped make the evening possible."
The event also highlighted the Trust's ongoing commitment to improving bereavement care and support for families across Wirral.
The ceremony follows the recent launch of WUTH’s new Bereavement Care Charter, which brings together health and care partners from across Wirral in a shared commitment to providing compassionate support for people who have lost a loved one.
Developed with input from bereaved families and people with lived experience, the Charter sets out commitments to ensuring families are treated with dignity, kindness and understanding. It reflects the Trust's ongoing work to strengthen bereavement care, placing the experiences and needs of families at the heart of improvements to services and support.
Recent developments in bereavement support at Arrowe Park have included the introduction of heartbeat keepsakes created from ECG recordings, bereavement memory and belongings bags, and improvements to environments where families receive care and support.
Working alongside families and the Bereavement Focus Group, the Trust continues to develop services and resources to help provide compassionate, personalised care during some of life's most difficult moments.
Donations to WUTH Charity help support these improvements, ensuring families experiencing loss can access meaningful keepsakes, dedicated resources and comforting environments.
Baby Loss Awareness Week takes place annually from 9 to 15 October, bringing people together to remember babies who have died during pregnancy, at birth or in infancy, while raising awareness of the support available to bereaved families.