When my daughter was stillborn in 2007, I was offered a death certificate but no birth certificate. A few months later I decided to look into it further, because it seemed so illogical to me. I came across the
MISS Foundation and the
MISSing Angels Bill and contacted
Dr. Joanne Cacciatore, who returned my email with a phone call that same afternoon. Her knowledge seems limitless and her passion is infectious. I learned that my state, Pennsylvania, had already been fighting for years to pass a bill that would offer parents a Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth. I added my voice to the already booming chorus by meeting with my Senator and State Representative, collecting names on a petition and speaking out about the need to pass this legislation. A few years later another local mother,
Nicole Jackson, decided to get involved after her son was stillborn. She collected over 1,000 names on her petition and opened herself up to the community by appearing in numerous television interviews and newspaper articles to speak eloquently and emotionally about her son, her experience and the importance of this bill. And on July 27, 2011, Nicole and I were able to watch as the Governor finally signed that bill into law. We were a very small part of a very large process, one that took 11 years and the sweat and tears of countless individuals, many of whom worked much harder and longer than us, and it was such an honor to be there together as we witnessed Pennsylvania become the 31st state to adopt this type of bill. All of us here at Sweet Pea Project are anxiously awaiting September 6th so that we can finally apply for something that should have been offered to us a long time ago: birth certificates for our babies.
Please scroll down to view photo highlights from our time at the Capitol and click on the links below to check out the media coverage we received. And to everyone who played a role in the passage of this bill, we are so very grateful. Thank you.
Front page article in the Patriot News:
http://www.sweetpeaproject.org/in-the-news/cherishing-the-life-of-a-stillbornWGAL television news segment:
http://www.wgal.com/video/28685447/detail.htmlPlease visit
www.sweetpeaproject.org/in-the-news to view more media coverage and
www.sweetpeaproject.org/legislation to learn more about this bill.
PA parents may file for a certificate for their child at this link:
http://www.portal.health.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/fetal_death_and_certificate_of_birth_resulting_in_stillbirth_certificates/14124/certificates_of_birth_resulting_in_stillbirth/608963
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