Break the Silence

I've written before about the shocking statistics of stillbirth - more common than SIDS, more common than road accident deaths, etc. They are truly shocking, and yet it is almost never talked about. It is a difficult topic. I know that more than most. It's difficult to hear a doctor tell you that your unborn child has no heartbeat, it's difficult to tell family and friends. Words do not explain how difficult it is to say goodbye to your precious baby, knowing you won't see them again this side of Heaven.

Stillbirth is difficult. It's confronting. 

But the silence needs to be broken. 

People need to talk about stillbirth; it needs to lose the stigma that is attached to it at the moment. And one thing that is working to break the silence is a film called Return to Zero. It's based on a true story of a couple whose baby boy died before he was born, and it follows their journey through the heartache, an almost broken marriage, and a subsequent pregnancy.

The thing is that there is no guarantee Return to Zero will make it to cinemas. Hollywood needs to be convinced there is an audience for this film, and that is why the film's makers have come up with the Pledge form. If this movie makes it to cinemas - would you go see it when it is released? If you would, will you sign a pledge saying so? The film's makers are meeting with people in Hollywood on Thursday morning (US time), and are hoping to have 50,000 people pledged to see the movie. This meeting could determine whether the film is released to cinemas. It needs to be shown; the silence needs to be broken. 

The link for the pledge form is here. There is a spot for your "local leader" - you can put my name (Larissa Genat), even if you don't live local to me. Will you sign up? Will you help break the silence around stillbirth?

I wanted to let you know that I don't receive anything from the makers of Return to Zero for this blog post; I am writing simply because I believe this film needs to be seen. If a certain number of people pledge to see it, and put my full name as the local leader, I do receive a little gift. But I'm not encouraging you to sign up because of that, I can't even remember what the gift is! I simply believe that this film will be helpful to break the silence. That is the sole reason I am encouraging you to sign up and see the movie when it's released.

Together we can break the silence.