Written by Annemarie Milton, InspireHer Guest Author
In July 2017, I experienced the most unimaginable and unexpected pain in the world. At nine months pregnant, I went in for a routine doctor’s appointment and found out that my baby had no heartbeat. The following day, I delivered my stillborn daughter, Greta Kathleen. She was absolutely perfect—10 fingers, 10 toes and a head of dark hair. In the ensuing days, weeks and months, I experienced every emotion possible. I feel fortunate that I was able to seek out professional help through therapy. It was through my therapy that I was able to deal with the tragedy of losing Greta and the heavy burden of my grief.
In the year following Greta’s death, my husband and I realized how much she had impacted us, as well as those around us, so we decided to start a foundation in her honor. As the president of Greta Gives Hope, I am dedicated to helping families who have experienced the unimaginable loss of a child. I understand how difficult it can be to navigate the fog of grief after losing a child.
“Through Greta Gives Hope, we want to help guide other bereaved parents through the healing process.”
We want those suffering to get the help they need—without the stress of finding out where to turn for help or how to pay. Greta Gives Hope will strive to provide the resources and support these grieving families need.
We started Greta Gives Hope on the one-year anniversary of Greta’s passing, July 20, 2018. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization in the state of Missouri.
We are excited to host our first event, the Greta Gives Hope Golf Classic, on Monday, April 22, 2019. We will release more information in the next few months. In the meantime, if anyone wants to get involved or donate to our organization, they can do so by visiting our website: www.gretagiveshope.org and selecting “Contact” or “Donate” at the top of the page. You can also follow @gretagiveshope on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Get to Know Annemarie
What do you do outside of your foundation?
I am an Academic Account Manager at Thomson Reuters. I work with law students, faculty and staff to educate, train and promote the advantages of Westlaw, the world’s leading legal research engine. My favorite part of my job is teaching my customers how to be more effective and efficient in their work product.
And in your free time?
When I’m not at work, I love spending time with my family and working out at Shred415 (excited to get back to it after baby #3!).
I have also been involved with the Friends of Wings organization, which supports pediatric hospice patients by raising awareness and providing financial support to families and patients. I have helped Friends of Wings for the past two years as an auction committee member for their two fundraising events, The Big Bear Brunch and Butterflies & Blooms.
What’s your favorite food and/or restaurant?
My all-time favorite food is pizza, and the best place to get that is Italy. My husband and I went to Italy this past May and I could not get enough of it! My favorite spot is Mama Cucina in Ravello, Italy (along the Amalfi Coast).
What’s one fun fact we should know about you?
I love working out and I used to be a certified Bar Method instructor.
