Your Support is Vital
The number of those coming to us seeking hope through individual counseling, support groups, and programs continues to grow. The generosity of our Annual Fund donors allows us to offer programs at no cost or at an affordable rate. No individual is ever denied services for their inability to pay. Your support is vital to address the growing need for services in our community.
Consider in the last year at Cornerstone of Hope:
55% increase in new clients seeking counseling and support
26% increase in support group participants; projecting another
28% increase this year
62% of campers attended our grief camps due to the death of a parent
30% of support group participants experienced a traumatic loss
In sharing my story, heartache, and grief with you, I hope I have touched your heart and you are feeling moved to give. I humbly ask you to please consider making a donation to Cornerstone of Hope. Your generosity will give grievers in our community the help they seek and be the lifeline they desperately need.
- Carli Herzog, Support Group Client -
It was December 2022. My husband Jackson and I, along with our one-year-old son James, were living in the Tremont neighborhood of downtown Cleveland. I was 20 weeks pregnant expecting our second child. I was busy wrapping last-minute gifts and preparing for an impeding blizzard that promised a cozy, white Christmas.
Taking a break from the happy chaos, I went to my 20-week ultrasound eager to see my baby boy. He appeared healthy. Little did I know that these would be the last few moments of innocent delight in pregnancy that I would ever feel again.
The radiology technician conducting the scan calmly turned to me and said she would like to have the doctor come in to take more images of my cervix. Although my son appeared healthy, my cervix was already dilated to one centimeter.
The doctors were hoping to perform a “rescue cerclage” in which my cervix would be stitched shut to postpone birth for at least four more weeks, but I needed to wait overnight to make sure I wasn’t in active labor. However, when I arrived for my procedure the next morning, I had dilated further. A cerclage was no longer an option, as my silently laboring body would rip right through it. I was losing my son. I delivered him the following evening, on December 23rd. His due date wasn’t until May 14th, Mother’s Day.
We unfortunately do not know for certain what caused the loss, but it was either cervical insufficiency or an underlying infection. Needless to say, those three days, along with so many questions, shock, and grief, was the worst experience of my life.
While I had a strong and loving group of family and friends who wanted to help in any way they could, they did not have what I needed.
Several people had recommended Cornerstone of Hope, which was offering a support group for Perinatal and Infant Loss in January 2023. Initially I sat down with Amy, Cornerstone’s support group coordinator, for an assessment to determine if I was ready to participate, considering not even a month had passed since our loss.
Sitting there and being able to express myself, I felt for the first time that my story was truly being heard and I knew right then that Cornerstone of Hope was what I needed!
During the first meeting of our support group, not much was said among the participants. But we really didn’t even need to talk. Just being around each other and in the same room, there was comfort and understanding among us all.
With pregnancy loss, there is so much uncertainty about what exactly happened. We did everything right and still lost our babies. We shared in that uncertainty and that helped us in togetherness.
The support group sessions brought me closer to God and in an inexplicable way I found a hopefulness and joy intertwined in my grief journey. There was a peeling away of layers to become more human and understand each other and the sacredness of grief.
A year after I completed the support group, I returned to Cornerstone of Hope. This time, I was invited back to share a new chapter of my story and talk about what it is like to be pregnant again after a pregnancy loss.
Being back in that room, despite all the new faces, I was able to connect with others and offer them the support and hope I so desperately needed and wanted. The experience gave me an opportunity to reflect on the previous 12 months, the many waves of grief and emotions, and how far I had come in my own grief journey.
Donate Monthly & Make a Lasting Impact
Becoming a monthly donor helps carry out our mission all year round.
Fit Your Budget
Your gift can be spread out throughout the year, so any donation can make an impact.
Long-Term Impact
As a monthly donor, you make a lasting impact to our clients lives.
Seamless Process
Your donation occurs automatically and changes can be made at any time.
Ways to Support
Cornerstone of Hope
Your support provides an immediate impact in the lives of local grieving clients this year and ensures that grief care is accessible for all. We appreciate your support!
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5905 Brecksville Road
Independence, Ohio 44131
(216) 524–4673
253 N. State Street, Suite 200
Westerville, Ohio 43081
(614) 824–4285
2963 Blue Jacket Court
Lima, Ohio 45806
(419) 581–9138
TELEHEALTH
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© 2024 Cornerstone of Hope, Inc.
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Cornerstone of Hope is a 501(c)3.
All donations are tax-deductible.