Star Children: Mourning together and finding hope in East Tyrol!

Star Children: Mourning together and finding hope in East Tyrol!

In the venerable setting of a podcast, Monika Pucher-Schweiger announces that her son Nico, a so-called “star child,” is also being celebrated with a cake on his birthday. Star children are those who died before or shortly after birth. This tragic reality raises many questions, and Monika, who runs a support group for affected parents, highlights the importance of acknowledging the grief of these children. In many cases, parents feel on their own when their hopes and dreams are suddenly shattered. The self-help group founded by Monika and her co-leader Maria Radziwon in Lienz offers a protected space for exchange and remembrance of the lost children, such as Dolomitenstadt reported.

A central aspect of her work is to help parents live through their grief and come to terms with the loss of a child. It is essential that parents and siblings are included in the grieving process in order to develop a healthy understanding of loss. As a hospital chaplain, Maria Radziwon also supports the naming of the children in order to give them a place in the family history. Another touching ray of hope is the opportunity to take souvenir photos of the deceased children, as the organization “Dein Sternenkind” makes possible in collaboration with regional photographers. Such images offer comfort in times of grief, report the two women, who also do not lose sight of the needs of their siblings during this process Mourning work Maria Förster emphasizes how important it is for children to deal with death openly and honestly.

A way to cope with grief

Monika and Maria promote the idea that clear words are needed to talk about grief. Children in particular have a great need to express their questions and fears. Honest communication can help them understand and process grief, whether it's the loss of a sibling or even a pet. To support parents and children with this challenge, we offer seminars and workshops that deal with dealing with grief and loss. This is particularly important because many adults are often unsure and feel helpless when it comes to dealing with grief. Monika and Maria's initiative is therefore not only a support for affected families, but also a call for open conversations about death in our society.