To cut a long story short...I have lost 2 beautiful little babies (19 weeks and 23 weeks), and after much thought decided to have them cremated and the ashes buried in the hospitals Memorial Garden. I am also an employee of this hospital so visit the garden regularly and also on anniversaries etc.
Anyway, at the time when we lost our first baby, we were told that no matter what, despite any future renovations or extensions to the hospital, the Memorial Garden would never be moved or altered in any way....well, we recieved a call last week from the hospital Chaplain who told us the garden will be demolished(for want of a better word) to allow for extensions.
I cannot believe this and I don't know where to go from here. There is no way I am going to stand back and allow this to happen. My husband was told that they will remove the soil and place it elsewhere (ie in another garden). Who do they think they are??? What are they gonna do....get a front end loader, load it up and dump it somewhere else. My babies ashes are in there (and alot of other families babies too).
I know you guys will have some advice as to what I should do next. I am going to make an appt with the CEO this week, but only those of us who have lost precious little ones will understand how important this is.
Oh my goodness! That is so mean! And harsh!
I'm so sorry for your losses, and they've got no right doing that - I've got no advice whatsoever (which I'm so sorry about) except keep doing what you're doing already
You might want to try, if the CEO is unsympathetic, calling your local press and seeing if they want to run a story. It's a pretty horrific thing to do, and unfortunately it's left to those who, like you, have already suffered tragedy, to try to stop it.
That is just insensitive and unrespectable. I can’t believe they’d do that.
Try going to the opposition local member as they will like some dirt on the current members and may help you fight it out.
If you wanted to start some sort of petition I’m sure a lot of people will sign it.
Also try and look for an alternate solution for them, so you can go to them with some sort of resolution rather than just a complaint.
Good luck.
That is awful. I would also try the press. TV shows like "A current affair" and "Today Tonight" would be good.
I would fight this the whole way, maybe you should try to contact the parents of the other babies and get them on your side too.
Good luck, thinking of you.
I think the press is a very good one. Accurant Affair ask every night if anyone has any story that they would like thier producers to look at they would be happy to take any emails. There are a lot of crappy stories on Accurant Affair that u think "Wow was that really news worthy" but I would tune into see this one. They will probably want to talk to other families that are affected too but after each story is run they say pretty much everytime "after filming this story such and such has decided not to do this anymore". I say go for it.
oh dear lord, this is heartbreaking news. How dare they even think about doing something so horribly disrespectful and to have to work in the same hospital and see it everyday would be just unbearable for you.
Fight hard, and fight strong. Dont let them get away with this, they just CANT get away with it.
please let us know how you go....Id be out there picketing, causing as much noise as i could !!!
That is just disgusting and I can understand why you are so upset at the thought of them destroying such a special place. I share your anger.
I agree with the ladies and would be calling the media. Also, usually when there is major development, there is a consultation process, you may find that if you ring the local Council there would be some way to formally object. If you get a petition started, I know plenty of people who would sign it.
Hayley, I am so sorry for your losses. That is awful that they are thinking of doing this. I think talking to the CEO is a good idea and perhaps getting the other parents involved as well. It is just so heartbreaking to think they would do this to all the angels who are rested there.
OMG! How heartbreaking! I hope that you are able to stop this from happening. Its terrible. I would try & get as many parents who have also made this garden the resting place for their little ones get on board with stopping this. Go to the media, your local council, everything, what ever it takes!
If you want to create a petition, I'm sure there are many of us whom would sign it in a moment for you! This is disgusting that they're wanting to do this...what utter lack of respect and kindness the powers-that-be are showing all of the families who have lost their precious angels!
Oh honey that is so awful i am so sorry to hear that i think you should fight so hard i cant believe these people can be so insensitive to all of those families whos little angels are resting in peace together. i feel for you so much i really dont have any advice but what everyone is saying sounds good to me get it in the pappers and start spreading the word to people and hopefully it will get a around and im sure people will agree how out of order this is i really hope that they keep it where it is i have evrything crossed for you keep us updated.
The thing that I don't get is that I am sure they wouldn't reloacate a grave yard so why is a memorial garden any different? I am really left saddened & scratching my head over this.
i am so sorry about your losses, and am shocked at their insensitivity. i agree with the above posts that you should try the press, meet with the ceo, sign petitions, and get other parents on board. i am not a licensed attorney in Australia, but am here in colorado. we have local laws about relocating cemeteries and a few federal ones too (although they mostly address native american populations and historic remains). you may want to check into the possibility of a local, state or federal law that applies. at the very least, the legal angle may slow them down if there are hoops they must jump through. the city/county health department might have something to say about this issue as well. also, they must need a permit to do the construction, and perhaps you can talk to the city (or whomever is granting the permits) and work with them to get the permit denied. or shame the city council/mayor/head cheeses into getting the permit denied. good luck, and stick by your guns!
Thank you all so much for your replies and ideas....I have appt with the CEO on Friday morning, so will let you all know how it goes.
I am prepared to go to the media with this and I am sure they would love a story like this, but I do know that I am up against a huge organisation, so I am not getting my hopes up. The hospital Chaplain came and saw me and she said she will back us all the way...so that is good.
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How could they do this??
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