20 years of dignified farewell: butterfly children in Leipzig honored

20 years of dignified farewell: butterfly children in Leipzig honored

Leipzig, Deutschland - In Germany there is a legal regulation that does not prescribe parents of children born before the 24th week of pregnancy. Therefore, in 2003 the working group butterfly children Leipzig was launched to enable these children to say goodbye. The first funeral took place in 2005 at the Leipzig-Lindenau cemetery and was supported by funeral home, parishes, private individuals, organizations and the University Hospital Leipzig (*UKL*). Since then, the working group has established itself as an important institution in the region that has been buried dead in Leipzig and the surrounding area for 20 years, who are otherwise not buried by their relatives.

Anja Wendisch, a committed pediatric nurse at the UKL, played a central role in the establishment of the working group and emphasizes the importance of a dignified farewell. "Many parents initially show pragmatism and do not think of a burial, but later they want a place to mourn and know where their child was buried," explains Wendisch. The working group carries out burials in the so-called butterfly children's resting garden three times a year. On average, between 500 and 700 children are buried there, which come from the pathological institutes of the area, where they were kept and examined.

grief and support

The death of an unborn child hits many parents unprepared and very difficult. Often the parents have little time together and memories, which makes grief more difficult. Affected people often experience feelings of incomprehension from outsiders and feel helpless and fear. Although there is no funeral obligation for children with a birth weight of less than 500g, the parents have the right to burial. The individual burial is possible, but at your own expense.

A free joint burial in the "Retires for butterfly children" is alternatively available for affected families and is financed by donations. The “Butterfly Children” working group also rely on the fact that individuals and institutions such as the UKL are involved in order to continue to maintain the offer. In addition, this special resting garden offers a protected place for grief, memories and encounters with other affected parents. Further information can be found online at www.schletterlingskinder-leipzig.de

invitation to the anniversary celebration

In late summer, an anniversary celebration of the working group will take place. This event should give interested parties the opportunity to get to know the working group better and to learn more about the important work that has been done since it was founded in 2003. The working group wants to awaken understanding of the bereaved of butterfly children and give these special children a place in the families.