About Butterfly Run Vancouver
WHY THE BUTTERFLY RUN?
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In today’s society, pregnancy and infant loss is still a taboo subject. It is often not discussed, brushed aside, and dismissed. Pregnancy is supposed to be a time of excitement and anticipation of the future. Unfortunately, pregnancy and infant loss (also known as perinatal loss) affects 1 in 4 women and their partners and families. Perinatal loss is defined as the death of an infant during pregnancy or soon thereafter. These losses are devastating and it can be hard for others to understand the magnitude of grief that accompanies these losses. In addition, it can be extremely difficult for people to even become pregnant. Infertility affects 1 in 6 Canadians.
Butterfly Run Vancouver is the 1st charity run of its kind in Greater Vancouver. It is a 5km/2km Run/Walk in Vancouver to support families who experience a loss during pregnancy, the loss of a child, or infertility, by:
*Increasing community awareness and encouraging dialogue to support individuals and families experiencing loss during pregnancy, the loss of a child, pregnancy after loss, and those who are unable to conceive;
*Providing support and the opportunity to create connections and community; and
*Providing funds for BC Women's, and other organizations in our community.
Thank you for standing with parents and families who have to face the devastating reality of losing a pregnancy or an infant, or who struggle with infertility. Together we are ensuring that our community has the support necessary to ensure parents and families have the care they desperately need.
Being a bereaved parent is a path that no one should walk alone. Butterfly Run Vancouver is a celebration of life, no matter how long or short.
Our Story
After the loss of her son Wilder in 2017, Kimberly Lockhart searched for a sense of community. She began looking into what Vancouver had to offer in terms of a memorial walk or run, and discovered that Vancouver did not have any such event in place. Kimberly knew there was a need to raise awareness for infant and perinatal loss. She desired to bring families together to connect and support one another.
Kimberly reached out to BC Women’s and began searching for similar memorial walks across Canada. She contacted Emily Cordonier with Butterfly Run Ottawa for advice and support. Butterfly Run Ottawa agreed to provide the advice and support that Kimberly needed to get the event planning started. Many thanks to organizers of The Butterfly Run Ottawa/Gatineau for their ongoing guidance and support!
Soon after the planning began, Kimberly shared the idea with friends who unfortunately had also experienced the pain of pregnancy or infant loss. From there, a group of volunteers formed to coordinate the first Butterfly Run Vancouver. Together with the support of Butterfly Run Ottawa and a local committee of dedicated individuals, the 1st annual Butterfly Run Vancouver has emerged.
The 1st Annual Butterfly Run Vancouver is being held on Saturday October 5th, 2019 along South False Creek Seawall.
Butterfly Run Vancouver hopes to increase community awareness of pregnancy and perinatal loss, provide an opportunity to create connections and community, and provide funds for BC Women's hospital.
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What is the meaning behind our butterfly symbol and logo?
The butterfly is a symbol of transformation, of the spirit and the soul, and of the unending cycle of life and death. For many of us, butterflies are a symbol of the children we have lost. The metamorphosis of the butterfly is a powerful symbol in so many ways for those who are grieving. They are the beautiful tiny spark of life that came to us, lighted our lives for just a moment before fluttering away. They are the hope that the transformation that loss brings into our lives can result in something different, something beautiful. We may not be the same through this journey, but we have grown, and we are able to see things that we could not before. The logo was inspired by the footprints of Aaron Samulack, who spent 100 precious minutes with his family after birth. At maternity wards in many hospitals, when a family experiences the loss of a baby a purple butterfly is taped to the door to let staff entering the room know. The colours of the logo were chosen with this in mind and also represent the complexity of the emotions of loss. Thank you for Amberlea Williams of Hereness and Thereness for the lovely logo.
