Friends and Family!
Please help us help the wonderful nonprofit - Empty Arms Bereavement. We are running this weekend’s Syrup Stampede in memory of our beautiful daughter Annika Leigh van Naerssen. The Empty Arms community has meant so much to us over the past year. This organization has been a blessing for our family since we were first referred to Empty Arms - shortly before Annika came into this world on June 14, 2017. We have been helped through a very difficult time with assistance from Empty Arms founder Carol--who helped us navigate everything from preparing for the delivery, to introducing Elodie to Annika, to the journey back home and beyond--and by so many others. We continue to rely on Empty Arms for regular support and have connected with so many other wonderful families who (unfortunately) share our experience. Please consider making a donation here in Annika’s memory and help us give back to an organization that has been, and continues to be instrumental in our healing.
We grately appreciate your support of Empty Arms and of our fundraising efforts. Monies raised are used to educate medical professionals, provide care packages to newly bereaved family members, provided one-on-one support when families first learn of their loss, allow continued group support for grieving families, and help families create wonderful happy memories with the babies they have lost--all things we have directly recieved/benefited from and will be eternally grateful for!
Thank you so much!
Much Love, Kris, Katrina, Elodie and Annika
Syrup Stampede
Syrup Stampede will be a fun, family friendly 5k run/walk event. Donations and raised funds will benefit Empty Arms, an organization geared toward helping families of the Pioneer Valley grieve the loss of a pregnancy or infant. The Empty Arms Community Members not only hope to raise awareness of this awesome organization but also hope to demonstrate our want and desire to integrate our losses into poistive events surrounding the memories of our babies.
Empty Arms Bereavement Support serves members of the Western Mass community whose babies have died at any time during pregnancy or early infancy. We look to provide and create a compassionate community, fostering connections, validation, and resources to grieving parents.