Hope is Like the Sun – Finding Hope and Healing After Miscarriage, Stillbirth, or Infant Death

Lisa Church
HopeXchange Publishing (2004)
ISBN 0974869961
Reviewed by Cherie Fisher for Reader Views (07/06)


 “Hope is Like the Sun” is a must read for those who have lost a child by miscarriage, stillbirth or infant death.  I only wish that this book had been available when I suffered through my three miscarriages over a decade ago.  It is much more than a clinical guide on how to survive loss as Lisa Church presents this information from a personal perspective of losing her own child. When I lost my children, I kept the pain to myself because it was something that no one ever talked about.  I realize after reading this that I am definitely not alone as there are almost a million miscarriages in the U.S. every year.   

The personal accounts given throughout the book by Lisa Church and four of her friends who experienced losing children focus on that fragile period between having lost a child, the decision to try to become pregnant again and the overwhelming fears that a person is faced with throughout a subsequent pregnancy.  Instead of glossing over a parent’s feelings, this book faces the common thoughts and experiences in a practical and compassionate way. 

The chapters in “Hope is Like the Sun” are very easy to follow and the points to remember at the end of each chapter are great to refer back to whenever you need them. The sections with questions to ask yourself are also very helpful as your answers will provide insight to your feelings and actions. 

Lisa Church discusses some very important things that a person recovering from losing a child needs to consider.  A few of these chapters covered topics such as how to remember your baby, help a sibling of the child through the loss, deal with other family members and friends and how to approach the holidays after a loss. 

“Hope is Like the Sun” is not written as a medical or psychological reference book on how to approach loss.  It is a wonderful book written by a very insightful and caring woman who validates the loss of a child before birth and gives good, sound advice on how to deal with grief.  I would recommend it to anyone who has suffered this loss, and to family members and friends who are trying to understand and support someone who has lost a child.

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