Image Credit: Taylor Prelac
My name is Taylor Prelac. I am the founder of a small non profit in Canton, Ohio called Brooks' Bereavement Bears. We give teddy bears to women who experience pregnancy loss in Ohio.
The idea to start this organization came after my loss in April 2020, when I was 9 weeks pregnant.
It was the height of COVID and I had to go to the ER in Akron, Ohio alone, while my husband waited in the parking lot. He received the grim news with a phone call.
No one could hug me or hold my hand while I cried.
I had a D&C a week later, and was given a teddy bear from a family member. It was so nice to be able to hold it at night and cry.
A couple of months later, we got pregnant again with our now 21-month-old son, Brooks.
The night of my positive pregnancy test, we went out to dinner. When we came out of the restaurant, we saw a beautiful rainbow.
Because babies who come after a miscarriage or pregnancy loss are often referred to as rainbow babies, I felt it was a sign from God—and from my baby in heaven—that everything was going to be all right.
I decided to buy two of the same teddy bear I received, and attach a pink and blue ribbon to them. I included a message of hope and love, and donated the bears to the hospital where I had my D&C as a way to comfort other women who experienced pregnancy loss.
After Brooks was born on April 5, 2021—almost a year to the day of our loss—I decided to pursue the idea of starting a non-profit, with these bears as my inspiration.
Image Credit: Taylor Prelac
In 2022, Brooks' Bereavement Bears officially became a non-profit.
To date, we have distributed over 400 bears in Ohio through partnerships with various providers. Because of our work with Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital, Aultman Hospital, Stark Women’s Center in Canton, and Mercy Health in Toledo, we have been able to help so many women receive comfort.
Thank you Taylor Prelac for sharing your story. Shared with permission. Brooks' Bereavement Bears serves bereaved women in Ohio. For more information, visit Brooks' Bereavement Bears or find them on Instagram and Facebook.
Losing a child is the most heartbreaking thing a parent can experience. Loved Baby is a beautiful resource to help grieving parents of faith through their darkest days. Pregnancy AFTER loss can also be disorienting. Courageously Expecting is an empathetic and encouraging companion for those who are pregnant after losing a baby.
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