Charity Spotlight: A Little Lifetime Foundation
Support for Stillbirth and Neonatal Loss in Ireland
We'd like to know about your charity. Tell us who you are and what inspired the creation of your charity.
A Little Lifetime Foundation (formerly ISANDS - Irish stillbirth and neonatal death society) was founded in 1983 by a group of bereaved parents who searched for support after their baby died. At A Little Lifetime Foundation, we understand the profound impact of such loss and are dedicated to providing compassionate assistance to those who need us.
Our mission is to empower families to navigate the grieving process with dignity and resilience. Through our programs, support groups, and online resources, we strive to create a safe and nurturing environment where individuals can find solace and connection.
At A Little Lifetime Foundation, we believe that every baby's life, no matter how brief, is significant and worthy of remembrance. We are dedicated to honouring the legacies of these precious little ones and supporting families as they navigate their grief.
What impact does your work have on the community?
A Little Lifetime Foundation provides compassionate, practical support to families who have experienced the loss of a baby during pregnancy or shortly after birth. Our work addresses a deeply sensitive but often hidden area of grief, helping families feel seen, supported, and less alone at one of the most difficult times of their lives.
We support our community by offering support packs, creative workshops and remembrance services. Our bereavement counselling service is a lifeline for many parents and families. This not only helps parents in their immediate grief but also contributes to healthier long-term emotional wellbeing for families. All our services are free of charge.
Beyond direct support, A Little Lifetime Foundation raises awareness around pregnancy and infant loss, helping to reduce stigma and encourage open, compassionate conversations within the wider community. By working with hospitals, healthcare professionals, and volunteers, we strengthen community understanding, empathy, and support networks.
Our impact is felt not only by the families we serve, but by the wider community through increased awareness, kindness, and connection around loss and remembrance.
Would you like to share a success story that really represents what you do?
For A Little Lifetime Foundation, success does not always look like a happy ending — often, it looks like survival, compassion, and families being gently supported through unimaginable loss.
One of our most meaningful measures of success is when parents tell us that knowing their baby was acknowledged, remembered, and honoured helped them take the next step forward in their grief. Through our creative workshops, support packs, and ongoing support, families often share that our presence helped them feel less alone during the darkest days, and gave them permission to grieve openly and honestly.
Success is hearing a parent say that our support helped them get through the day, return home from hospital with comfort rather than silence, or find the strength to speak their baby’s name. These moments — though quiet and deeply personal — represent resilience, healing, and the profound impact of compassionate community care.
For us, success is not measured in numbers, but in lives supported, grief acknowledged, and families who feel held rather than forgotten.
How has being part of the Vhi Women's Mini Marathon supported your charity's mission?
Being part of the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon has played a meaningful role in supporting the mission of A Little Lifetime Foundation by giving visibility to a cause that is often experienced in silence. The event provides a powerful platform to raise awareness around pregnancy and infant loss, helping to normalise compassionate and open conversations within the wider community.
Each year, families come together — aunties, grannies, cousins, friends, and supporters — wearing T-shirts bearing their baby’s name. Meeting beforehand in a local hotel creates an incredible sense of connection and anticipation; there is a real buzz in the room as people gather with a shared purpose. Families often tell us how proud they feel to wear their baby’s name publicly, knowing it is being spoken, seen, and honoured.
This collective act of remembrance transforms personal grief into community support. It reminds families that they are not alone, and it allows their baby to be remembered in a powerful, life-affirming way. Participation in the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon also helps us connect with new supporters and raise vital funds, enabling us to continue our work.
Overall, the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon strengthens our mission by turning remembrance into visibility, and community spirit into lasting support.
Contact Info:
Telephone: 089 4133127 | Email: info@alittlelifetime.ie | Website: https://www.alittlelifetime.ie/