Presenter: Stacey Fletcher (University of Utah), Heleine Wolfgramm (Utah Pacific Islander Health Coalition), Guadaloupe Aguilera (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Ashley Hone, Celeste Namba, & Keisha Namba
Date: 10/12/24
Brief Description: Parents and support specialists share their experiences with stillbirth.
Keywords/Main Subjects: Personal experiences, bereavement, equity
Copyright: copyright Stacey Fletcher, Heleine Wolfgramm, Guadaloupe Aguilera, Ashley Hone, Celeste Namba, & Keisha Namba ©2024
Stacey Fletcher
Stacey Fletcher is a parent voice representative at the University of Utah. As a clinical trainer for the Utah Pregnancy After Loss Program, Stacey ensures that parent experience plays a key role in developing excellent physical and mental health care. She also is the director of the University of Utah’s Peer Support Program which is under development, president of St. George Share, a volunteer with the International Stillbirth Alliance, and a dedicated stillbirth awareness advocate. On December 12, 2006, Stacey’s son Benjamin was stillborn—with no cause ever found. She has since dedicated her life to helping others who have experienced the same devastating fate. As a peer support specialist and bereavement photographer for 12 years, she has spent many tender hours with families whose lives are forever touched by the untimely death of their baby. Stacey is a storyteller. She has worked professionally as a writer, editor, educator, and publisher, and she is passionate about giving voice to those who may not always be heard. Stacey and her husband Bryan are the busy parents of five living children. Together their family advocates against the racism and disparities often found in underserved and marginalized communities.
Heleine Wolfgramm
Heleine Wolfgramm is a member of the Utah Pacific Islander Health Coalition and the proud mother of five children. Her son, Makelani Pahoran Wolfgramm, was stillborn in November 2013, almost eleven years ago. She resides in northern Utah and would like more Pasifika voices to be heard when it comes to receiving proper health care.
Guadaloupe Aguilera
As a social demographer, Guadalupe Aguilera’s research interests span interrelated aspects of family formation at the nexus of migration and fertility. During her postdoctoral training at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she holds an Honorary Research Associate position, her research has focused on stillbirth and family wellbeing after loss. A combination of scholarly interests, past research experience, and personal experiences with family members’ late-term pregnancy losses drives her research goals. Guadalupe draws on her foundation in social demography to examine important variation in stillbirth experiences among US subpopulations. She uses quantitative approaches to better understand mixed evidence in the US on nativity-based differences in stillbirth risk, and qualitative approaches to understand the types of support received among diverse US subpopulations after experiencing stillbirth. With deep love and through every aspect of her work, she hopes to honor her loved ones.
Ashley Hone
Ashley is a passionate advocate for those navigating grief. As a devoted parent of four, three living, she turned a personal tragedy—the loss of a child, Kingston Ryan Hone—into a mission to support others experiencing similar pain. Currently, she works at four local hospitals providing bereavement support, helping families find hope and healing after loss. Through her work, Ashley fosters resilience and connection within the community, dedicated to guiding others on their journey toward healing.
Celeste and Keisha Namba
Celeste and Keisha have been together much longer but have only been able to be legally married for nearly ten years. In that time, they’ve faced significant challenges, including the loss of of their son, Koji, who was born four months premature and passed away at eight days old. Celeste works in finance/technology focused on providing services to low-income Americans, while Keisha is a stay-at-home mom, dedicated to raising their newly adopted son. They enjoy volunteering with various LGBTQ+ organizations in Utah.
