My name is Megan Mayo and I have been a registered nurse for 25 years. The majority of my career was spent working a perinatal nurse at The Birthing Center at Holyoke Medical Center. Out of my work there, grew my passion for perinatal bereavement care. I became trained as a perinatal bereavement coordinator through Resolve Through Sharing and became the first nurse in Massachusettsto become certified in perinatal loss care (CPLC). I think it was 2008 when I met Carol. A mailing from Empty Arms arrived and I called the number. That was the beginning of a beautiful collaboration. It felt great to have this amazing support for grieving families and for the staff that care for them. In April 2020, I took a leap of faith and left my job at HMC and joined the Baystate Pediatric Palliative Care team. Our team cares for children from birth to age 19 who have potentially life limiting conditions. I’ve had the opportunity to meet some families during their pregnancy when they have received the news that their baby may not survive. It is an honor to walk that path with them. So, while I am not a bereaved parent myself, my heart is in this work. I am proud to be a member of the Empty Arms family
Megan may have never been touched by babyloss herself, but I can personally vouch for the compassionate care she offers her patients—and how that translates into her professional work as an Empty Arms board member.
Megan was my L&D nurse when I gave birth to my rainbow baby after two miscarriages. She took my concerns for the safety and wellbeing of my baby throughout labor with the deepest of consideration. My fears were fully heard and held. I had asked for a host of extra reassurance and monitoring throughout labor, and I have vivid memories of the warmth and kindness she exuded throughout the (very, very!) long process. She made me feel like my L&D worries were mine to have and hers to honor, and I am enormously grateful for the way that she single-handedly affected the positive outcome of my son’s delivery.
As a fellow Empty Arms board member, it’s a privilege for me to get to see her bring her immense experience in working with families to our organization. Megan is on the ground every day, directly implementing the best practices our group could only hope all practices would emulate.
In short, Megan, you rock. Thank you for giving your gifts to our community.