Light & Unite is Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas’ annual remembrance gathering for families who have experienced pregnancy or infant loss. Each year we come together with bereaved parents, loved ones, and community members to honor the babies who are deeply loved and always remembered.
Our gathering takes place on Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Day, October 15, when communities around the world participate in the International Wave of Light—a candle-lighting ceremony that moves across time zones in quiet solidarity. Families light candles, share space with others who understand loss, and take a moment to remember their babies together.
This year’s theme is “somewhere [over the rainbow]". Grief often leaves us feeling between places—between the life we imagined and the life that continues after loss. The word somewhere invites us to imagine that space together: a place where remembrance, love, and community can exist side by side.
Light & Unite offers a gentle space to pause, remember, and gather with others who understand.
Our 7th annual gathering in 2025 was held at The Stables at Hartwood Acres Park. You can watch a short video from last year’s event below.
Light & Unite 2025 | The Stables at Hartwood Acres
Families gathered with white pumpkins to light a fire in remembrance of their babies.
Light & Unite 2024 | Pittsburgh Botanic Garden
Families gathered for a tree dedication honoring babies gone too soon. The memorial tree, planted near the garden pond, offers a quiet place for reflection. Each family received a White Spruce seedling to take home and plant in remembrance.
“If when I am gone
Thou would’st honor me
Then plant a tree..."
— Plant a Tree, David H. Wright
Light & Unite 2023 | Aspinwall Riverfront Park
We lit white lanterns around the bonfire, each one glowing softly in the evening light. Their gentle glow symbolizes the path forward—reminding us that even in moments of darkness, small lights can guide the way. Together, the lanterns represent hope, warmth, and the quiet strength of moving forward while carrying the memory of those we love.
Light & Unite 2022 | The Villa at Springwood
This year’s theme was the lotus flower, a symbol of purity, beauty, and resilience. The lotus grows in dark, muddy water yet rises above the surface untouched, blooming with quiet grace. In many traditions, it represents the possibility of growth and transformation even in difficult places.
For families navigating grief, the lotus reminds us that healing often unfolds slowly—one petal at a time. Together, we gathered to honor our babies and reflect on the ways love, remembrance, and community help us move forward.
Light & Unite 2021 | Gilfillan Farm
In this serene farm setting, families gathered to remember and honor their experiences of love, life, and loss. Therapy horses from Horse With Hope joined us, offering quiet comfort and helping create a meaningful evening of reflection.
Light & Unite 2020 | Virtual
