Welcome to another episode of the Tendrils of Grief podcast. Today, we have a deeply moving and inspiring guest, Elizabeth "Liz" O'Donnell. After the heart-wrenching experience of being sent home empty-handed from the hospital following the stillbirth of her daughter, Aaliyah, Liz decided to share her pain publicly. Her Instagram post, showing her holding Aaliyah in her hospital bed, went viral, drawing attention to the often overlooked struggles of stillborn families.

Fueled by the outpouring of support and a desire to honor her daughter's spirit, Liz left her teaching career to advocate for parents of stillborn children. She founded the nonprofit organization Aaliyah in Action, which provides curated "self-care" packages as a first step toward healing for birthing parents and families. Liz also took on the fight for more compassionate maternity leave laws, successfully pushing for the passage of an Emergency Bereavement Bill in D.C. in March 2021. Today, Aaliyah in Action has partnered with 21 hospitals across six states and the District of Columbia.

Liz's advocacy work continues nationally as the Co-Director of Awareness for PUSH for Empowered Pregnancy, a parent-led group dedicated to reducing the U.S. stillbirth rate and empowering expectant families. Recently, PUSH launched a Pregnancy After Loss Provider Training program to help prenatal care providers offer sensitive care to patients who are pregnant again after a perinatal loss.

Join us as we delve into Liz's journey, her mission to support and advocate for stillborn families, and her tireless efforts to create meaningful change.

Episode Highlights

· Elizabeth O'Donnell

· Tendrils of Grief podcast

· stillbirth advocacy

· Aaliyah in Action

· self-care packages for bereavement

· Emergency Bereavement Bill

· PUSH for Empowered Pregnancy

· pregnancy after loss

· perinatal loss support

· maternal mental health

· stillborn families

· maternity leave laws

· prenatal care providers

· grief support

· bereavement care

· Mental health awareness

· Bereavement support and resources

· Advocacy for parental rights

· Changes in maternity leave policies

· Nonprofit organizations making a difference

· Personal stories of grief and healing

· Social media activism and its impact

· Support for families experiencing stillbirth

· Training programs for healthcare providers

· The role of community in healing after loss

More about Elizabeth "Liz" O'Donnell

Website www.aaliyahinaction.org

Instagram @aaliyahinaction

Facebook Aaliyah in Action

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