Baby Loss Awareness Week
9 to 15 October
Baby Loss Awareness Week takes place from 9th to 15th October every year, ending with International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Day on October 15th. It provides an opportunity for parents, families and whanau around New Zealand to come together and remember the lives of their babies who have died. We acknowledge the lives and deaths of all babies, no matter what their gestation, length of life or how they died. It is also a chance to highlight the work done by Sands around the country.

Baby Loss Awareness Week Events
Please click on this link to find Baby Loss Awareness Week events under the Discussion tab from Sands groups and other baby loss organisations around the motu.
Light up Aotearoa
This year for Baby Loss Awareness Week (9th-15th October) we are again lighting up landmarks across Aotearoa mawhero (pink), kikorangi (blue) and poroporo (purple) to remember our precious babies.
Below is a list of the confirmed landmarks. Thank you so much to the Councils, organisations, and businesses who are raising awareness of pregnancy and baby loss and acknowledging the whanau in their area who have suffered such a heart-breaking loss.
- Ashburton
- Ashburton Clock Tower: 9-15 October
- Auckland
- Eden Park: 15 October
- NZ Maritime Museum Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa KZ 1: 9, 10 & 15 October
- Holy Trinity Cathedral: 15 October
- Aotea Centre: 15 October
- Trevor Moss Davis Memorial Fountain (Mission Bay): 9-15 October
- NZ Maritime Museum Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa KZ 1: 9, 10 & 15 October
- Blenheim
- Blenheim Clock Tower: 9-15 October
- Christchurch
- Christchurch Airport Terminal & Sign: 9-15 October
- One NZ Stadium: 15 October
- Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu: 9-15 October
- One NZ Stadium: 15 October
- Cromwell
- Cromwell Welcome Sign: 15 October
- Dunedin
- Tuhura Otago Museum: 9-15 October
- St Paul's Cathedral: 15 October
- Toitu Otago Settlers Museum: 15 October
- St Paul's Cathedral: 15 October
- Feilding
- Fielding Clock Tower: 15 October
- Foxton
- Foxton Clock Tower: 9-15 October
- Gisborne
- Gisborne Clock Tower: 10-15 October
- Hamilton
- Victoria Bridge: 9-15 October
- Hawera
- Hawera Water Tower: 15 October
- Matamata
- Matamata Town Clock: 9-15 October
- Nelson
- Nelson Clock Tower: 9-15 October
- Nelson Cathedral: 9-15 October
- Top of Trafalgar: 9-15 October
- Nelson Cathedral: 9-15 October
- New Plymouth
- New Plymouth Clock Tower: 9-15 October
- Oamaru
- Opera House: 9-15 October
- Palmerston North
- Hopwood Clock Tower: 15 October
- Taupo
- Great Lakes Centre: 9-15 October
- Tauranga
- Wharf Street Lights: 15 October
- Tunks Reserve: 15 October
- Masonic Park: 15 October
- Beacon Wharf: 15 October
- Waterfront Playground: 15 October
- The Waterfront - Park North: 15 October
- Tunks Reserve: 15 October
- Te Aroha
- Te Aroha Clock Tower: 15 October
- Upper Hutt
- Fantail Welcome Sculpture: 15 October
- Dunlops Chimney: 9-15 October
- Dunlops Chimney: 9-15 October
- Wellington
- Cable Car Tunnels: 15 October
- Michael Fowler Centre: 15 October
- Carter Fountain: 9-15 October
- Queen Wharf Sails: 9-15 October
- Michael Fowler Centre: 15 October
- Westport
- Westport Clock Tower: 15 October
- Whanganui
- Royal Whanganui Opera House: 9 October
- Whanganui War Memorial: 9 October
- Whanganui War Memorial: 9 October
- Whangarei
- Victoria Canopy Bridge: 9-15 October
- Laurie Hall Park: 9-15 October
- Cameron Street Canopy: 9-15 October
Click on this link to find the details of each landmark
- Laurie Hall Park: 9-15 October

Global Wave of Light
Baby Loss Awareness week takes places from 9th to 15th October. Many of our amazing Sands groups across Aotearoa are planning events and opportunities for remembrance during this special week. This week culminates in the Global Wave of Light, an international event held on 15th October, International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. On this day, bereaved parents, whanau, friends and communities around the world light a candle at 7pm in memory of their precious baby or babies.
As one of the first countries in the world to mark this moment, Aotearoa helps start a continuous wave of light and aroha that travels around the world, honouring and remembering babies who are deeply loved and dearly missed. Sands NZ will be hosting an online rememberance service. If you would like us to light a candle and say your babies name during the service, please complete the google form at this link: https://forms.gle/brPq1dtr6yKhbdVU7
Please submit names by 13th October. A link to the online service will be shared on the 15th of October. A heartfelt thanks to Sands Canterbury and Canterbury Memorial Gardens and Crematorium for helping make this special event possible.
Many thanks to Sands Canterbury and Canterbury Memorial Garden and Crematorium for putting this together.

