ABOUT CONFERENCEIf you have experienced the loss of a child at any stage (miscarriage, stillbirth, infant death) or you work in a profession dealing with the grief of such a loss, then this conference is for you.
Sands National Conference is a three-day event that brings together bereaved parents and whanau, healthcare professionals such as midwives, counsellors, funeral directors, and anyone who has an interest in pregnancy, baby and infant loss, grief, and bereavement. Sands Waikato will be hosting the 13th biennial Sands National Conference in Hamilton, New Zealand, on September 29 - October 1, 2022. The conference provides an uplifting experience for bereaved families and professionals where we come together to remember, learn, talk and feel supported in a place where pregnancy, baby and infant loss is recognised and spoken of. As always, Sands Conferences strive to make the three day event memorable and beneficial on many levels which is why we offer a wide range of topics, speakers, presentations and more at each conference. Our presenters talk about a range of topics that are supportive, healing, educational and enlightening. Most importantly we support each other and create connections. . |
Who are we |
Sands is a voluntary, non-profit organisation that supports parents, families and whanau following the loss of a baby or infant at any gestation, any age and any circumstance. We are an inclusive, non-judgmental group of bereaved parents paying it forward. We support parents and their families who have experienced the death of a baby or infant, we provide memory making materials to hospitals and in the community, we provide education to health and caring professionals, and we encourage research into the prevention of baby and infant loss. Every two years since 1997, Sands has held a national conference. You can see the different themes and venues of our conferences since 1997 here. Our 2022 three-day event will be our 13th biennial conference which is to be hosted by Sands Waikato. We are excited to be welcoming bereaved parents and families, health and caring professionals, researchers, social service providers, other grief and loss support agencies, and anyone interested in pregnancy, baby and infant loss to our 2022 conference. Nau mai, haere mai. |
Our theme |
The theme for the Sands National Conference 2022 is
'Finding your flow in grief and resilience' The theme of the 2022 conference was inspired by the location in the Waikato, as we wanted to relate it back to the Waikato River. To each of us, our grief journey has been much like a river where it flows, sometimes smoothly where we're co-existing with our grief, but at times there can be ripples and splashes, where we are overwhelmed by our grief, or have tough days with anniversaries, reminders, or things that can trigger our emotions when we least expect, so it's about navigating the flow of the water in our grief, taking it day by day. Resilience is something that not only is relevant to grief and loss, but also something we've all had to adapt during the Covid era, so it felt right that we not only acknowledge resilience in grief but also in every aspect of our current life. Together we hope that you find conference uplifting, supportive, healing, educational, and enlightening as you navigate the flow of your grief and resilience. |