My Name is Carolyn McCall-McWilliams and I would like to highlight my inspirational friend and change maker, Selina Casey. She is the Founder and Managing Director of The White Butterfly Foundation, a foundation established to support bereaved parents across Northern Ireland. I am co-director of the foundation; my role is minimal and focused on business support. Selina pours her heart and soul into this passion project, and here is her story.
In 2021, Selina was finishing her counselling degree and was pregnant with her 3rd child. At an 18-week gestation check-up, she arrived alone, amid covid and was told that her baby had no heartbeat. She was advised that she was no longer a maternity patient, and they would move her onto gynaecology and so began the process of delivering her baby and the grief and heartache that followed. As she and her husband tried to navigate through this tremendously difficult challenge, she realised that there was little to no support available.
After her second pregnancy loss, not long after, she had a calling to break some boundaries and get a deeper understanding of the support mechanisms in place for families who have been through similar circumstances. Selina began to ask questions about other women's experiences. She met with chief obstetricians who deal with the medical side of miscarriage and baby loss and decided to put all she had learned along with her counselling background into providing free or donation-based counselling and support for women and families who have suffered miscarriage, baby loss and child loss in Northern Ireland.
Selina continues to work closely with local consultants within NI Hospitals as well as bereavement midwives, together they work to provide a much-needed pathway of support to bereaved parents and work is continuing in this area every day.
Selina officially founded The White Butterfly Foundation earlier this year. It was born out of a need she recognised through her own lived experience and the voluntary 1-to-1 counselling work she does with grieving parents across Northern Ireland.
There are so many who suffer in silence, often feeling isolated, misunderstood, and alone in their grief. Through Selina's experiences, she has seen firsthand how the power of art, creativity, and community can be transformative in the healing process. This inspired her to create a space where parents could find hope, solace, and connection in a supportive environment.
The Timeless Tiles Workshop: A Pathway to Healing
One of the key activities that have emerged through The White Butterfly Foundation is the Timeless Tiles Workshop. These workshops have become an essential part of The White Butterfly’s mission, bringing together groups of parents from all over Northern Ireland to engage in a creative process that honours their babies. By working with clay, each parent has the opportunity to design and create a personal tile that represents their journey, their memories, and the love they continue to hold in their hearts. Tiles can be added to represent key milestones for parents and this emphasises the foundation's support to parents at every stage throughout their journey.
Timeless Tile experience is about more than just creating a beautiful piece of art; it’s about finding a safe space to express emotions, share stories, and connect with others who truly understand. Through these workshops, they have witnessed the incredible power of shared grief and empathy, as parents find comfort in knowing they are not alone.
The conversations, perspectives and viewpoints from individuals are often felt across the entire group. The participants come together as strangers but often leave with a deep sense of connection, having formed bonds that continue beyond the workshop itself.
These beautifully meaningful tiles will be displayed at a few events in various locations throughout NI throughout baby loss awareness week October 2024 -
10TH October – Stormont
11th October – The Guildhall Derry/Londonderry
12th /13th October – Exhibition at Belfast City Hall
15th October – Palace Stables, Armagh
Building Community and Bereavement Support Across Northern Ireland and beyond
The Timeless Tiles Workshops have already brought together parents from all corners of Northern Ireland, allowing them to form a supportive community where they can share their stories and their healing journeys. The White Butterfly Foundation is committed to continuing these workshops, ensuring that every parent has the opportunity to find solace and connection in a setting that honours their loss.
Requests have been made for Christmas workshops right across the country and planning is in progress. The White Butterfly Foundation has also received enquiries and interest from those across the rest of Ireland and they are working to provide additional support services and workshops in Dublin, Galway and beyond.
Help for Businesses and Employers
Selina has a background in compiling psychological risk assessments for organisations and provides support and services to educate employers and businesses to help their staff deal with miscarriage or baby loss. Businesses can avail of bespoke support services, awareness sessions to mangers or to all staff focusing on the role the workplace has in supporting bereaved parents and families.
A Theme of Hope
The White Butterfly Foundation is more than just a support service; it’s a symbol of hope. It represents the delicate and precious nature of the lives we remember, as well as the strength and resilience of the parents who carry their memories forward. By coming together, sharing, and honouring these experiences, they can help each other heal and move forward with love and compassion.
If you would like to learn more about The White Butterfly Foundation, participate in a Timeless Tiles Workshop, or get involved in any of their upcoming activities, please reach out to them.
Let’s continue to raise awareness, offer support, and bring hope to all those who need it during Baby Loss Awareness Week and beyond.
Together, we can create a community where no parent has to walk through their grief alone.
For more information, visit their social media pages or email Selina@TheWhiteButterflyFoundation.com
The White Butterfly Foundation Social Media pages: