Dawn, Spreading HOPE for Catherine

Ambassador Dawn Guidone

, sharing in memory of Catherine Elizabeth

“Catherine was diagnosed with Trisomy 18 at 20 weeks of pregnancy. It was a true lesson in love when she was born sleeping on March 31, 2009. A lesson that taught us that LOVE knows no boundaries of time or space. She has continued to be with us every moment of every day and has left a legacy of love and hope year after year as we celebrate her existence every March! There is always the question of “What if….” but with Return to Zero we have been able to honor our daughter’s memory and continue to heal by helping others. As we walk this path, a path no one ever wants to go down, we know that it is lit by sharing it with others, who truly understand!

We are so thankful for all the support RTZ Hope has provided over the years to us and to our mission of helping others. The resources they provide from the retreats to the materials for families who have experienced a loss are invaluable.”

Pregnancy and infant loss is a unique type of loss, leaving the grievers to feel isolated and unsure of how to move forward. We'd be grateful if you would consider contributing to Dawn’s fundraiser in honor of Catherine Elizabeth. Your gift ensures that other parents who endure loss on their journey to parenthood have the support, resources, and community they need in order to navigate life after loss.

With your support, here’s what we were able to accomplish during 2022 (2022 Annual Report):

  • Fifty percent of support group participants received financial support to ensure that all parents have access to services.

  • Enhanced outreach to and created support services for Black, Indigenous, and other Communities of Color as a response to the alarming rate of preterm births and stillbirths caused by racial disparities in perinatal and infant health. 

  • Offered 50 different support group programs (virtual workshops, virtual support groups, and in-person retreats) to our community of bereaved families.

  • Supplied our unique perinatal bereavement guides to 400 hospitals and providers to assist in caring for grieving families.

  • Hosted 10 perinatal bereavement education webinars to parents and providers.

  • Created community and spread awareness about pregnancy and infant loss through social media.

Shianne Gundersen