Still: A Collection of Honest Artwork and Writings from the Heart of a Grieving Mother

When Stephanie Cole's daughter died of unknown causes one week after her due date, it shook her to her very core and set her on a journey into the depths of grief. Stephanie faced her loss head-on, using creative expression as a tool to navigate her way through the intensity of her emotions, and allowing herself to grieve honestly and on her own terms. In her new book, Still: a collection of honest artwork and writings from the heart of a grieving mother, Stephanie invites us in for an intimate look at that first dark year without her daughter. 
 
Stephanie has always had a love of writing, but never really considered becoming an author. Even as Still was being created, she didn't feel as though she was writing a book. Stephanie explains, "I write as a way to release all of the overwhelming emotions of grief from my body. Before Still. was a book it was my journal, my canvas. It was a way for me to express the unspeakable." Stephanie felt compelled to publish this very personal account in the hope that it will help break the silence of stillbirth. She wants to give other bereaved parents something they can relate to, to help them feel less alone in their despair. She also wants to offer a deeper understanding to those who haven't experienced such a loss so that they will be better able to support those who have.  "There is such a stigma attached to stillbirth, nobody wants to talk about it, but this is a story that needs to be told. Nobody should have to suffer in silence. I want to begin a conversation that will ultimately allow other bereaved mothers to feel confident in speaking about the full truth of their motherhood."
 
Stephanie finds strength and motivation in the courageous women that came before her, who refused to accept the status quo of "put this out of your mind, go home and try again." She credits Sherokee Ilse, Dr. Joanne Cacciatore, Kara L.C. Jones, Laura Seftel and Elisabeth Kubler-Ross as inspirations, saying that through their work they "reached into the ocean of my loss and pulled me aboard their little lifeboat." Stephanie is honored to now be in a position to pull others on board as well.


Learn more about Stephanie and the work that she is doing at sweetpeaproject.org.

I am an artist, an activist, and above all, a mother.

Since Madeline's death I have dedicated myself to honoring my daughter's short but precious life by working to improve the way stillbirths are handled at the hospital and in the community. Aside from writing this book and founding the Sweet Pea Project, I also give presentations at hospitals about the needs of bereaved parents, I have created workshops and art exhibits that focus on using art as a tool to navigate through grief, and I have met with senators and state representatives to urge them to pass the MISSing Angels Bill. None of this will make the death of a baby an easy thing to endure, but hopefully it will help create a more supportive and compassionate community for the families left behind.

Learn more at sweetpeaproject.org