1st Breath provides effective advocacy and support for families and professionals dealing with stillbirth in the USA. They continue to honor our babies born still, while fighting to prevent future stillbirths.
This amazing organization has helped make such great advancements in Stillbirth Advocacy over the last fifteen years. From helping parents obtain a form of birth certificates, to improving research and legislation. From educating the public to training medical staff. From holding and supporting a newly bereaved parent, to honoring all those children who went before. 1st Breath has made this a better world for babies, families, and our communities across the nation.
Great organization. Much needed in this area. Losing a child (infant loss, miscarriage, etc.) is a trauma unlike any other. It is a topic that is kept in the shadows for so many reasons. 1st Breath gives individuals the support they need in a time of tragedy. Having this type of support is so critical to our communities. It brings the loss of a child from he shadows to the forefront and lets mothers, fathers, guardians of children know they are not alone.
1st Breath greatly impacts providing support and resources for bereaved families experiencing Stillbirth. Their advocacy to provide and protect bereaved parents rights continues to have a great impact in our nation.
1st. Breath continues to make a difference for bereaved familie, and for future generations. They currently support several pieces if legislation in the USA that will finally help take a huge step forward in prevention research andvhealth support. They continue providing Compassion Care Kits, and resources, as well as honoring those babies who departed this world too soon.
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1st Breath continues to step up wherever needed in the fight to save our babies from being born still. We are involved in providing resources to families experiencing this tragedy, supporting professional such as funeral home director, medical professionals, counselors, clergy, legislators and law enforcement. We strive to educate and advocate wherever possible. In addition we strive to honor and remember our precious babies who left too soon with annual remembrance events and a memorial remembrance garden at the Leland NC Town Hall near our headquarters.
1st Breath greatly impacts providing support and resources for bereaved families experiencing Stillbirth. Their advocacy to provide and protect bereaved parents rights continues to have a great impact in our nation. 1st Breath has worked diligently with state legislators to change the verbiage to include and recognize the research on stillbirths successfully. So that those who were not able to take their first breath are never forgotten and implement tools for our future babies.
I see how 1st Breath greatly impacts bereaved families experiencing Stillbirth. Their advocacy continues to provide and protect bereaved parents rights.
Pat at 1st Breath is so kind and caring. I was connected with her shortly after losing our twin girls. Pat was willing to meet me, but also let me time my time to help and provided me with more resources for dealing with our loss.
Dr. Mrs. Flynn has been working on this, an organization that SHE founded a couple of decades ago, with love, concern, compassion and much hard work. She's handled calls from individuals and families over the past twenty days, from locations all around the Earth.
The network she has built from what was basically an "empty" subject is tremendous. She has requested help from friends and those knowledgeable in computer skills to create the website, and weaved the entire process that a person / family might be going thru into an on-line resource full of those that have stepped up and lent their support to 1st Breath.
Every time the "hot line" phone rings, no matter the time of day or where she might be other than at home, she's answering it. Nobody goes without a real voice helping them, and also giving the names and numbers of those in the callers' specific area that have joined with 1st Breath. Dr. Flynn also gets in touch with this dedicated group of volunteers in a diverse list of help and lets them know to expect a call from someone reaching out.
1st Breath may be a small organization in terms of home-base support staff (Dr. Flynn is it...), but everyone calling for guidance in their worst times gets personal help.
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Dr. Patricia Flynn is absolutely the right person to be in charge of 1st Breath, and is directly responsible for its progress and success over the past decade and more.
The important thing about running a non-profit, and most assuredly this one, is a thorough and complete understanding of the experiences, assistance and results of the work being done. Dr. Flynn exceeds the requirement for all of those, having gone thru Stillbirth herself in 1978.
The experience she went thru in 1978 and the three and a half decades since serves her well, and gives her efforts, thoughts and actions added credibility. She's able to relate directly with those that 1st Breath assists. Singlehandedly she's been able to get state legislatures to recognize Stillbirth with the creation of "certificates of birth resulting in stillbirth" that enables much needed closure and lifetime remembrance of a parents' child born still. She has also traveled to educate and work with legislators in Washington DC for a nationwide standard for the handling of Stillbirth - and more importantly, trying to get the needed funding for proper and complete research into Stillbirth.
It's been incredible to watch her meet people from all over the world in person, on line and over the phone as they discuss their mutual feelings about the subject. Dr. Flynn has the ability (and indeed nationally-recognized training) to deal with these parents, siblings, family and friends.
1st Breath has been so very important in the continued attempt to keep Stillbirth in the American conversation about health care, prenatal services, and counseling.
As a stillbirth mom and advocate, my experience of working with 1st Breath and Pat Flynn has always been a positive one. From the minute I first met Pat 12 years ago, she has been compassionate, empathetic, and kind. I always recommend 1st Breath, because I know that families will be properly cared for. It's a great honor to work with 1st Breath and alongside with Pat on this journey to make stillbirth a maternal health tragedy of the past.
When I needed to know I wasn't alone after losing my son, Pat with 1st Breath was there for me. I was able to find connection and hope and eventually became the parent advocate for 1st Breath.
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After losing my son in 2007, I was on the lookout for somebody to help me understand what had happened and to guide me through the Journey. I found 1st Breath. Not only did they help guide me but helped me to become an advocate for other parents who had walked in my shoes.
Caring, understanding, and above all respectful, I highly reccomend 1st Breath as a place to turn to for grieving families.
1st Breath is an amazing organization that provides support to families that have experienced the tragedy of loosing a child. 1st Breath also provides education for healthcare workers and advocates for research into the causes of stillbirth. I have known Dr. Pat Flynn who runs 1st Breath for many years. Her compassion provides comfort to grieving families at their most vulnerable. Dr. Flynn is also passionate in lobbying for legislation and promoting stillbirth awareness. A wonderful organization run by truly kind people doing fantastic work!
It all started with a stillbirth on September 26th, 1978. Christopher Lee Milford.
1st Breath has done SO much in the last two plus decades of being a non-profit directed specifically towards stillbirth. Getting monies and study groupsgoing funded by government and large research groups goes into what Dr. Flynn has generated on the website. She is known internationally and works with people the world over and is a most respected source of information, direction and support.
Stillbirth just doesn't happen and then goes away. For the mother, along with families and friends of the affected mother, it's something to deal with for the rest of their lives. The form that grief and acknowledgment of what happened maybe change from one form to another over the years, but it's ALWAYS there.
Dr. Flynn is incredibly giving of her time and network of associated groups to make sure that the grieving person, regardless if the stillbirth was yesterday or decades ago either is able to start or alter their healing process. 1st Breath has worldwide connections to families that have experienced this, doctors and renown researchers and tries to match a person up with the help that is most appropriate, available, and directed in the manner needed. She never gives up trying to find a direction for the person that has contacted her. Her support team of people worldwide never gives up.
1st Breath has worked with governments on municipal, county, state, national and worldwide levels, actively reached out and talked and visited with legislators and others that have the ability to direct their help, time and public awareness towards Stillbirth. It's been overlooked or woefully understudied by an unbelievable number of medical groups, governments and larger non-profits far too much. The research guidelines are in place, the people ready to do the work, and ensure that every baby gets a "first breath."
1st Breath is just one of hundreds of smaller non-profits and assistance groups, but deserves to ensure that the 25 thousand plus stillborns yearly just here in the US get their fair share of attention. So much has been learned in the past two decades, and so much more is just waiting for funding, assistance, and acceptance. The work won't stop, has no political agendas, racial or religious guidelines, and will help ANYONE, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME that they need the assistance and networking that 1st Breath can provide.
You can make a difference by learning more about stillbirth at their website, www.1stbreath.org
Make it something you do right now. What you do in helping us help those families can have immeasurable effects on the world community.
I have known Dr. Pat Flynn for several decades. She never ceases to amaze me with her compassion for grieving parents and willingness to drop everything to provide words of comfort. She has a list of resources to refer parents to in order for them to find the assistance they need during their grief. Dr. Flynn provides educational materials for medical staff in dealing with parents going through loss. She is persistent in lobbying for awareness and legislation on behalf of parents of stillborn children. She is an unstoppable and tireless force.
I was able to volunteer and assist in making 1st Breath’s Compassion Care Kits that are provided to families in the hospital who have just learned that their baby will be, or has just been born still. The packages have had so much thought put into them. The resources they provide support families from the moment of diagnosis, to years down the road. 1st Breath does not think any newly bereaved family should leave the hospital with only a box of papers. They also believe it is important to honor these babies and help guide bereaved parents in learning how to be a parent to an angel. They work hard to give these precious babies who were born silent a voice to be heard.
1st Breath has served families and professionals in every aspect facing stillbirth. The have been pivotal in advocating for awareness and respect from the local, national and even international levels. They serve families from the time of diagnosis, through giving birth to a stillborn baby, and advocacy for the following years. They provide information and tools to professionals to aid in supporting and serving families in making a lifetime of memories in a short amount of time. They work with researchers, legislators, professionals and families to fight stillbirth and be a voice for precious babies who left us too early.
I am a mother to a stillborn baby and found 1st Breath so special they gave so much support to me xx
I found the CEO pd Flynn very helpful and supportive and she is the best person I know of and they definitely do give the best support and advice
I am a mother who lost my daughter to still birth. I had never spoken about her to anyone. It was a few years later that I had a son who passed away of sids and that was all a mother's heart could take. I was referred to Patricia Flynn to talk with and quickly realized that her dream was one that would bridge the gaps in my heart. I'm very blessed and this organization helped restore and renew not only me but my family. I could never thank you all enough. May this blessing reach all of those who unfortunately have to face loss. Prayers for everyone.
My comment is in relation to Dr. Pat Flynn. I have never suffered the tragedy 1st Breath Inc. addresses but I have some knowledge and feelings of the founder. I attended Mid America Nazarene University with Pat from 2005-2006 and spent a great deal of time studying with her. Pat's loss of a child was a personal inspiration for the life of 1st Breath Inc. and her passion to help heal the hearts of others. She simply wants to help and heal. I know of no finer lady with immeasurable kindness and caring she shares toward others. I highly recommend this organization and the wonderful person gifting these services.
1st Breath Inc is an incredible organization! They donated a beautiful Moses basket to our hospital bereavement program. This organization is a wonderful resource to the community. Last year, they organized a special remembrance day for local families. It was a beautiful event.
It has been a little over a year since we lost our beautiful son at 31 weeks and 5 days. Our son, was stillborn on December 8th 2015, but to me it still feels like yesterday. I suddenly became a static and part of a group of families that I never wanted to be a part of. There are still no answers as to why it happened. I know those answers will never come, that I have come to accept. It has been the hardest year of my life but I am thankful for the support of my husband and my family who seem to know even without asking that I am still hurting and that the pain is real and raw even a year later. About 6 months after loosing our son we moved our family from Raleigh to Wilmington for my husband to start a new job, after we moved through internet searches I found 1st Breath. We attended their event for Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day this past October and it was there that I learned that I could get a certificate of stillbirth for my son. To some that might not seem like much, but to me that meant that I had something that proved my son was born, and even though he never took a breath he still recognized. Pat and her husband are amazing and are willing to sit and talk to you about anything and let you ask as many questions as you want. So although I am now part of this static and this group that I never wanted, I am thankful for people like Pat and her husband for bringing our families together so that we can feel less alone even if for short time.
Pat Flynn is a wonderful lady. She motivated me to try and make a difference. She has been a wonderful mentor....and over time a trustworthy friend. I have lost 3 babies and pat is a wonderful support. I am proud to work with her and 1st breathe.
She and I have created surveys on pregnancy loss. Those surveys can be found at www.babylosssurvey.com If you have been effected by pregnancy loss please answer one of our surveys. www.babylosssurvey.com
On January 29, 1986 my son Christopher was born still, it was the worst day of my life. I had no support from the people in my life that I thought would give it to me. They thought I should just get over it, and move on. They also believed that it was the best thing for me since I was in such a abusive mariage and now with the loss of my baby maybe I would leave my husband. But, they never considered the pain and hurt from the loss. Never considered he was my son
and how much I wanted him. As for my husband, he just drank the problem away and did not/would not discuss it. It was like he
was never born and the pain inside me just burned.
Time would pass and I had two more boys, but come January I would be depressed the entire month. I had no one to talk to.
I didn't want to hear anything from anyone, so I just kept it to myself. Come January 29th when everyone would be in bed
I would qietly sit by his urn, lite a candle and say a prayer and wish him a Happy Birthday and tell him I love him and Miss Him.
When I was pregnant with him and after and my husband and I had a fight or I needed just to get away I would walk down in
the park and just talk with him. It was a beautiful park, it had long paths with a few water falls and beautiful trees and brooks. I
loved going there it was so peaceful. Sometimes I would sit for hours on the rocks by the brook and sometimes if you were
really quiet you would see deer. I would talk to him and tell him how wonderful things were going to be and how no one was
ever going to hurt him and how I couldn't wait to hold him. No one really knew how special he was and how much I wanted him.
Well, finially my ex-did the wrong thing, he put his hands on my son and we got divorced and that was that. It was just me and
my boys. Now I could more openly put Christopher out, but not infront of anyone else. January was still rough, but I made it ok,
I guess.
A few years went by and I met a wonderful man. I didn't tell him about Christopher because I thought he would be just like
everyone else. Come January though I lit my candle like always and a few days later he asked me what that was all about and
also said I didn't have to tell him if I didn't want to. I told him the entire story and he couldn't believe I hadn't told him sooner.
The following Christmas there was one box under the tree on Christmas eve "To Mommy, Love Chriss." I started to cry. I was
not allowed to open it until 12:00am. When I did it was a gold necklace with a small head of child with his name engraved and
his birth date and birth stone. There also was a cross that was bless and I later received a heart. That is the only necklace I wear to
this day. The card that went with it was a card from a little child signed from my husband of course but in read "Christopher"
and said "so that he would be with me always" of course I cried.
This had happened every year since that time. One gift goes under the tree for me from my son and one gift goes under the tree
to my son. He never gets left out of our lives. On Christmas my husband would get him a small replica of something he would have
gotten if he were alive. Like a trycicle or a bike or a car one day during the summer he surprised me and we even had lunch
on the beached and guess who came, thats right Christopher, he can never say he wasn't on the beach.
I still never really talked about Christopher outside of my husband and my children. Then I started going to theropy and some things
came out. I wrote a children's book and it was published and so bad I wanted to help other. I wanted to help others not feel the pain
that I had to endore. I know that I cannot stop their pain and the loss of any child is hard. But when you lose you baby at birth the
pain seem unbareable. You anticipate the birth, you pick names, you talk to him/her and dream dreams and the he or she is gone, just
gone. The pain just stabs like its sickening stabs and with no support even with support its not good. I just wanted to help women and their families.
So, I did a google search and came up with 1st Breath and wrote them and them put me in touch with ISA and I started a web site
www.support-the-fight-against-stillbirth.com. I don't care if 1 or a million books sell. If people just go to their site and donate I will
be happy. Its not for me, its for them. I wanted everyone to know that stillbirth is real and see if there was some way I could help.
To make a long story short, even though this is a very long story....I just wanted to help them and in turn they helped me. I met through
1st Breath an Angel named Pat..her sons name was Christopher to, how amazing is that? She gave me information so that I could
get my sons Birth/Death Certificate. I tried to get that when he was born and was told that was impossible because he was born dead
and that he had to be born breathing. Do you have any idea what that does to a mother? He was alive, alive in me. I know it, I felt him.
NOW, after 26 years, 26 long years my boy is going to be recognized, not just by me and his dad. But by the state of PA. All those
people that told me to get over it, forget him, well he is now recognized by the state of PA . He was alive and he was here I know it
God knows it and the state of PA now knows it. Thanks to the wonderful works of Angels and the GREAT works of people the
ones I have been so Graced to meet at 1st Breath. I believe that it was by the Grace of God that I met Pat and pray that many others
are put onto the path of these wonderful people.
1st Breath needs to be more wide spread in more states so that more people can be helped by them. I will never be able to thank
them enough for what they have done for me and imagine.....I wanted to help them.........
God Bless all The People at 1st Breath
I came across this site while trying to find comfort in the loss of our son earlier this year. When you think you are the only person in the world who has experienced the loss of a child, that nobody understands what you are going through,you come across a site that is everything you are looking for. This site i found to be, wonderful, comforting, undertanding, and now feel like that i am no longer alone.
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